Recorded in over two hundred spelling forms including Bart, Barta, Bartomieu, Berthelemey, Bettaney, Bettanay, Bettney, Beaney, Bertome, and Bartos to Berthelemot and Bartholin, it is first recorded in the 13rh century. Derived from the Hebrew name Bar -Talamy, the later Bartholomew, it was 'brought' to Western Europe by crusaders and pilgrims returning from the Holy land after the famous Crusades of the 12th century. Talamy itself means farmer or literally one who "had many furrows". Jesus said of Bartholmew, the apostle, 'Behold an Israelite without guile'. The name was only used in Europe before the 12th century a.d. by the clergy or monks, and then quite rarely. An early recording was that of "Bartholomeus Canonicus" in the Danelaw Charters of London, England, in the year 1199. England was the first country in the world to adopt hereditary surnames as we know them today, and equally the first to record them. Early examples of these recordings include Nicholas Bertelmev of the county of Sussex in the year1296, and Walter Berthelmeu in the city of London in 1334. Wernus Bartholomei was recorded in Hamburg, Germany, in the year 1274, and Henry Bettaney, at St Mary Aldermary, city of London, on February 15th 1727. John Bate, one of the many short forms of the name, was recorded in the first muster of the inhabitants of Virgina colony, America,on February 7th 1624. The first recording of the family name is believed to be that of Robert Bartelmeu. This was was dated 1273, in the rolls of the county of Huntingdonshire during the reign of King Edward 1st of England, 1272 - 1307. Throughout the following centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop", often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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