Bertrand
A French surname from an old Germanic personal name meaning, roughly, “bright” or “famous raven.”
The #2,881 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 24,777 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Bertrand comes from an old Germanic personal name, usually explained as made from elements meaning “bright, famous” and “raven.” In medieval French the name appears in forms such as Bertran, Bertram, and Bertrand, and the surname developed from that given name. It is therefore essentially a hereditary surname built from an old baptismal name rather than from a place or occupation.
History
The name was established in medieval France and spread with French naming practices into other parts of Europe. Historical surname dictionaries also treat Bertrand as a close variant of Bertram, and some early forms were used interchangeably. The name later became common in French-speaking regions and remained especially familiar as a French surname and given name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One medieval explanation connected the name with a saint’s name form, which helped keep it in use over centuries.
From the historical record
“name of Bertram down to the XIII. cent. BERTRAND. The same as Bertram. BERWARD. Bear-ward, the keeper of a bear. " Here is Jenkj-ne Berwavdc of Barwycke." Cocke Lorelle's Bote. BERWICK. In Domesd. a hei-eunca generally means an outlying portion of a manor. Of places so called we have, be-”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom