Last name: Bates

This interesting surname has three distinct possible origins, the first and most likely source being the medieval male given name "Bate", itself a petform of "Bartholomew", from the Aramaic patronymic "bar-Talmay" meaning "abounding in furrows" or "rich in lands". One Bate le Tackman was recorded in the 1273 Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire. The name may also be occupational for a boatman, deriving from the Olde English pre 7th Century "bat" (Northern Middle English "bat"), a boat. A Herbert Bat was noted in the 1182 Pipe Rolls of Shropshire. Finally, the Old Norse "bati", profit or gain, used in the transferred sense of "lush pasture" may have given rise to the surname. Early examples from this topographical source are Thomas del Bate (Yorkshire, 1297). The final "s" in the name indicates the patronymic form, "son of Bate". One Matilda Battes, appears in the 1279 Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire. In April 1635, Clement Bates, a tailor, aged 40 yrs., along with his wife, Ann, his five children James, Clement, Rachell, Joseph and Ben, and his two servants, departed from the port of London bound for New England, aboard the "Elizabeth". These were some of the earliest settlers of the name in the New World. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Roger Bate, which was dated 1275, in the "Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire", during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Visitor Comments

Girish Khare
I am looking for relates of Helen Bates who married R. Khare and lived in Kanpur (Cawnpore), India and passed away sometime in the 1920/30s(?) She is my grand mother, my father's mother. any information will be very helpful...please.

Kimya Bates Atkinson
looking for Bates family from Lawrenceville NC, grand father was Joseph Bates born may 9,1920 and his parents were Ralph Bates and Maggie Bates their possible birth dates could be 1899 or 1900??? He also had a brother name Ralph Jr. wich he and my Grandfather resided in NYC, spanish harlem. Joseph Bates wasa married to Pearline(Pearl)Bates who originally came from Baltimore,MD with out a trace of birth parents

Nancy
Looking for relatives of Amos George Bates Sr born in Gilboa New York in the Catskills.

Art Sweeney
Nancy, I have details on the Bates Family, including Ancestors and Decendants of Amos Jr. Let me know if you want them, they are in a private tree on Ancestry.com that I will invite you to see.

lee Stewart
This my Grandmother's name who lived in the village of Hargrave in Northamptonshire.The towns of Rauds & Rushden are also linked,especialy with writer: HE Bates whom my Grandmother was related to!

Charl
Looking for any Bates relatives in south africa

Werner
Hi Im Werner Bates in Cape Town

chel
Hello! i know that my grandads uncle went to South Africa and was and arquitect there, he did the post office. A relative is doing a family tree and has found some intresting thinks, but still needs more info

Werner
Carl Please email me wernerbates@hotmail.co.uk

Douglas Bates
I am trying to locate the specific area (ie townland or hamlet/village/town/city) where the following BATES family resided before they emigrated around 1825 to Canada . They were all born in Co. Tyrone. James BATES who was the patriarch of the family, born about 1770 and his children as follows: John born 12 Sept 1794, Sarah Jane born about 1797, George born about 1797 and William born about 1822. Sarah Jane and George were possibly fraternal twins. Any info appreciated.

Douglas Bates
P. S. I can be reached at dougbates22@hotmail.com

Jim Boews
Bates is also a possible derivative of of the celtic roman tribe of Atrebates who settled in the Hampshire area from the area now known as Belgium.

Lee
Many are or were Moravians & it was a common practise for them to marry their own

Michelle Bates
My family is from Niagara Falls NY. I don't remember my grandfathers name but he married a woman whos name was Elizabeth Mae Bates. My grandfather and grandmother had two children, both sons. The oldest is Kenneth and the youngest is Marvin. I don't know much more than that. If anyone knows more that would be great. If you e-mail me with responses please write in the subject line Mae Bates. I will then know that it's not SPAM. thanks. :)

Craig Evan
my grandmother I knew as Mae Bates who Had a son named Charles Earl Bates

John Bates
I have an Elizabeth Bates in my family tree from the 1800's. Send me an email and I will get it to you Tuesday when I'm off work. Thanks

andrew baatz
I'm a bates also but mines spelled cooler baatz. ha would love now mire i know my great uncle took english spelling and great great grand father kept orignal spelling