Bethune Surname

61,060th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 8,237 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
United States
Highest density in:
Guyana

Bethune Surname Definition:

Of territorial origin from the town of the name in the department of Pas de Calais. The name first appears in Scotland between 1165—90 when Robert de Betunia appears is witness in a De Quinci charter (RPSA., p. 354). In old records and charters the name was usually spelled Betun or Beton, and in the sixteenth century it became confused with Beaton, which see, a name of Gaelic origin.

Read More About This Surname

Bethune Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States4,6221:78,4208,958
Canada9221:39,9634,995
Australia8611:31,3544,168
France6591:100,79314,799
Jamaica3061:9,3791,036
England2251:247,63620,113
Scotland1791:29,9103,109
New Zealand1451:31,2305,420
Guyana1301:5,8631,014
Northern Ireland551:33,5463,341
Panama451:86,9393,484
Germany251:3,220,218147,383
Wales121:257,87814,969
Belgium81:1,437,08092,692
Bahamas41:97,9381,027
Morocco41:8,619,02573,251
South Africa31:18,059,235248,362
India31:255,688,4611,306,352
Brazil31:71,358,111770,017
Chile31:5,872,15852,204
Philippines31:33,746,074302,898
Spain21:23,376,018128,922
Thailand21:35,319,172966,191
Italy21:30,578,344160,757
Saudi Arabia11:30,855,81763,028
Barbados11:287,4482,772
Uruguay11:3,431,75838,295
Zimbabwe11:15,438,240133,260
Antigua and Barbuda11:99,1712,137
United Arab Emirates11:9,162,273135,437
Trinidad and Tobago11:1,363,97522,013
Sri Lanka11:20,808,56018,521
Russia11:144,123,056881,408
Pakistan11:178,643,885213,220
Mexico11:124,126,205103,776
Kuwait11:3,800,69427,187
Indonesia11:132,249,194811,426
Cameroon11:20,769,068227,406
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland141:316,41912,423
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Scotland4061:9,2201,206
England591:413,14224,536
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States3761:133,56012,731

The alternate forms: Béthune (40) are calculated separately.

Bethune (360) may also be a first name.

Bethune Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

Of territorial origin from the town of the name in the department of Pas de Calais. The name first appears in Scotland between 1165—90 when Robert de Betunia appears is witness in a De Quinci charter (RPSA., p. 354). In old records and charters the name was usually spelled Betun or Beton, and in the sixteenth century it became confused with Beaton, which see, a name of Gaelic origin. John de Betun, a cleric of the diocese of Dunkeld, witnessed a confirmation charter of the church of Ruthven to the Abbey of Arbroath before 1211 (RAA., I, 216), and David de Betun and John de Betun witnessed a grant of land in the territory of Kerimor to the same house between 1214—26 (ibid., p. 80). Andrew de Byetoine rendered homage at Forfar, 1296, and Sir David de Betune the same at Dundee (Bain, II, 749,759). Sir Robert de Betune swore fealty at St. Andrews, 1291, and Andrew de Betton of Perthshire rendered homage, 1296 (ibid., II, 508, and p. 200, Macdonald, 127). The seal of Andrew bears a cinque foil in dexter chief and S' Andree de Bettone. Johannes de Beton was one of an inquest on the marches of Kyrknes and Louchor, 1395 (RPSA., p. 3), Bernard Betown, odaller in Howbister, Orkney, 1492 (REO., p. 406), and William Bettoun of Wosthall was a witness, 1526 (REB., II, 180). The Beatons or Bethunes had lands in Fife and Angus, where their descendants are still to be found. The cardinal and the archbishop are the best known of the family in Scotland. Beathune 1680, Beatoun 1584, Beattone 1604, Bethon 1681, Beton 1546, Betone 1552, Betoun 1547, Betown 1521, Betowne 1524, Betton 1681, Bettune 1292; Beattoun. Betoin.

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

(French-Teut.) belongingto Béthune (Pas- de - Calais). [thun(e is the French form of the Anglo-Saxon tún, ‘estate’, &c.]

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

This illustrious name is traceable, beyond question, to Robert, surnamed Faisseus, seigneur of the town of Bethune, in Artois, in the year 1000, and there is good reason to suppose that he was a descendant of the ancient Counts of Artois. His descendants, who were ennobled in every grade and in various countries, reckon among their number many princes of Hainault in Flanders, Cardinal Beaton in Scotland, and the great Duc de Sully in France. See I.'Histoire Genealogique de la maison De Bethune par Andre du Chesne, Paris, 1639. (See Beaton).

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

Local: from the town of Bethune in France. The Scottish branch of the family are descended from Robert de Bethune who came to Scotland in 1165.

The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames (1862) by Clifford Stanley Sims (1839-1896)

Local. From the town of Bethune, a fortified town, and capital of a county in Artois, Netherlands.

An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857) by William Arthur

Bethune Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Bethune Come From? nationality or country of origin

The surname Bethune (Arabic: بيتون) occurs more in The United States more than any other country or territory. It may also occur as a variant: Béthune. For other possible spellings of this last name click here.

How Common Is The Last Name Bethune? popularity and diffusion

The surname Bethune is the 61,060th most commonly used last name at a global level, borne by approximately 1 in 884,733 people. The surname Bethune is primarily found in The Americas, where 70 percent of Bethune are found; 64 percent are found in North America and 64 percent are found in Anglo-North America. Bethune is also the 458,892nd most widely held first name world-wide, held by 360 people.

The last name Bethune is most common in The United States, where it is carried by 4,622 people, or 1 in 78,420. In The United States it is mostly concentrated in: Georgia, where 16 percent reside, Florida, where 9 percent reside and Texas, where 8 percent reside. Apart from The United States it exists in 37 countries. It also occurs in Canada, where 11 percent reside and Australia, where 10 percent reside.

Bethune Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The frequency of Bethune has changed over time. In The United States the number of people bearing the Bethune last name expanded 1,229 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it expanded 381 percent between 1881 and 2014 and in Scotland it contracted 56 percent between 1881 and 2014.

Bethune Last Name Statistics demography

The religious devotion of those holding the Bethune surname is principally Presbyterian (57%) in Ireland.

In The United States those holding the Bethune surname are 8.09% more likely to be registered Republicans than The US average, with 54.86% registered with the party.

The amount Bethune earn in different countries varies marginally. In United States they earn 2.32% less than the national average, earning $42,147 USD per year and in Canada they earn 2.06% more than the national average, earning $50,708 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Béthune9540/
Bethuyne93102/
Beathune9312/
Betheune932/
Beethune931/
Bethunei931/
Bethunes931/
Betune9243/
Bethun923/
Bethoun8619/
Betoune8616/
Bathune8611/
Bethuna8610/
Bethone866/
Beitune866/
Bethine864/
Vethune862/
Betunes862/
Beutune861/
Bothune860/
Betheun860/
Bethung860/
Betun83695/
Bethoney80335/
Bothuyne80178/
Betounes8015/
Beythoun808/
Beitoune803/
Bestoune803/
Beithine801/
Behtoune801/
Bithuneh801/
Beuthine800/
Betine77736/
Betuin77676/
Bethon77260/
Beetun77237/
Betone77105/
Botune7770/
Betung7757/
Betoun7750/
Betuna7739/
Batune7732/
Bethum7725/
Beatun7724/
Bestun7712/
Beitun7712/
Bitune774/
Bithun774/
Betaun771/
Betutn771/
Betuni771/
Bétune771/
Betgun771/
Bettun770/
Bechtoune751/
Bettine71725/
Beitone71297/
Bathuni71178/
Bethony71143/
Betouni71108/
Bitoune7199/
Betuing7187/
Beituni7179/
Beatoun7171/
Bettone7165/
Betoney7159/
Betiene7156/
Beithon7138/
Betthausen7135/
Betonie7130/
Bathine7124/
Beatine7124/
Bethoum7120/
Betunio7116/
Bettoun7116/
Beithum7115/
Beytoun7115/
Bethoon7114/
Baetuni7113/
Bistune717/
Bithoun717/
Beatone713/
Besstun713/
Betouna713/
Bettuin712/
Bothuni711/
Bottune711/
Beitoun711/
Beetine711/
Behtoun711/
Beiteun711/
Beython711/
Bitugne711/
Bitunge711/
Bietone711/
Batunne711/
Beutine711/
Betonne711/
Bestuni711/
Bithumn711/
Bothine710/
Beitine710/
Beathon710/
Westheuner710/
Beton672,730/
Bitun67565/
Bahtoune67176/
Bettoney67167/
Beittone6754/
Bechthum6749/
Bithoney6739/
Betonney6726/
Bytun6724/
Bheytine6719/
Beitouni6713/
Betum6713/
Beytouni6711/
Vetun678/
Batthuni677/
Beatouni677/
Bhethini674/
Bethinni674/
Bathinee674/
Betún674/
Betounis673/
Bhathine672/
Bathunni672/
Behtouna672/
Bytunets672/
Beitouna671/
Beathini671/
Beattine671/
Battaune671/
Bathinne671/
Baithunn671/
Betthini671/
Beytonne671/
Bhathuni671/
Vaithune671/
Vetaunes671/
Betougni671/
Betunaha671/
Beythoon671/
Bittoune671/
Bettouni671/
Beithoum671/
Bestuhyn671/
Bettiney670/
Witthune670/

Bethune Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Bethune in the Arabic language
بيتونbytwn-

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Bethune
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis