This website is devoted to the name Beatrice, its origins and derivations. It will serve as a starting point for family members, and others interested in the name Beatrice as a surname and personal name. This is the official web presence of the Beatrice family, relatives, and heirs.

The name Beatrice is of Latin origins. It has Italian, French, English, Welsh, Scottish, German, Spanish, and Dutch derivations. My father, Joe Beatrice married Sue Mahoney and had 4 children: Sue jr., Joe jr., J.J. (me), and John Paul Beatrice. Our connection to the mosaic of American families comes from Latin (Italian and French) and Celtic/Anglo (Irish, Scottish, and English) origins.

By far, most occurrences of the name Beatrice and its derivations can be found in Italy, Spain and France. Of the earliest recorded uses of Beatrice as a surname occurs in Yorkshire England in 1212, as the need for surnames arose during this period for tax purposes. The name was likely chosen in honor of St. Beatrix, the young christian martyr, who, during the Roman Empire, was put to death because she rescued her slain brothers infant children.

Beatrice is extremely rare as a surname

The following page(s) have been compiled by J.J. Beatrice and referenced by source. Feel free to update this site with your own Beatrice information by emailing me with proper documentaion and source materials, as every attempt is being made to gather as much information about the name Beatrice and to share information about this unique and special name.

--Source: www.parentsoup.com

| Joe & Sue Beatrice 73.61 Kb

| Baby Abigale Coutier | 46.18 Kb

John Paul Beatrice | 52.58 Kb

Abbreviations: Y - Yorkshire C - Cambridgeshire Cur - Curia Regis Rolls (in progress;Pipe Roll Soc. 14, 1891) HTEss - Essex Hearth Tax Returns, 1662, transcribed by F.G. Emmison (unpublished) Ofr - Old French

--Source: p 34, 2nd column of "A Dictionary of English Surnames, The Standard Guide to English Surnames," P.H. Reaney & R. M. Wilson; Oxford University Press (c)University of Sheffield 1958, 1961, 1976, 1991, 1995 First published 1995, Reprinted 1996 ISBN 0-19-863146-4

The personal name Beatrice is of baptismal origin. Baptismal names which are derived from the names of saints constitute one of the largest categories of personal names. Such names were and indeed are still given in honor of a particular saint. Most often, although not always, the name chosen is that of the saint whose feast day takes place on the day one's child is borne. In many countries this "name day" is celebrated along with one's birthday. In this particular instance, the name Beatrice is derived from the Latin name "Diabrix" meaning "voyager (through life)" or "bringer of gladness." This was then altered by association with the Latin name "Bealus" meaning "blessed". The name was popularized by several saints who bore the name, including St. Beatrix, the young Christian martyr who during the Roman Empire was killed because she rescued the babies of her slain brothers, and whose feast day is celebrated on the 29th of July. Beatrice is a form of Beatarix, which was occasionally used in England during the Middle Ages. Beatrice is most famous as the name of Dante's beloved, and is the character who guides Dante through Paradise in the "Divine Comedy". Beatrice was the heroine in Shakespear's "Much Ado About Nothing". Its popularity in the nineteenth century was no doudbt boosted by Queen Victoria's naming of one of her daughters Beatrice and was recently revived following the Duke and Duchess of York's naming of their daugher Beatrice Elizabeth Mary. Contemporary bearers of the personal name Beatrice include Beatrice Lillie, actress, and Beatrix Potter, writer. There exist numerous variants of this personal name including Beitris (Scottish Gaelic), Betrys (Welsh) Beatrix (German), Beatriz (Spanish), Beatrex. Among the abbreviated or pet forms of the personal name Beatrice are Bea, Bee Trix, Trixie and Trixy.

--Source: Historical Research Center Inc., 1993-1994 All information text printed or typed are the copyrighted material HRC serial# left side:0015/0 right side:62851 This information text and graphic illustrations are protected under the copyright laws of the USA, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Canada, Australia, Spain, South Africa, and elsewhere. Copyright HRC Inc. 1993. Document design copyright hrc 1993-1994.

nana.jpg 22.15 Kb

A Dictionary of English Surnames

Part One: Introduction

Talan Gwynek, Fause Losenge Herald Extraordinary

(Brian M. Scott, scott@math.csuohio.edu)

(c) 1994 by Brian M. Scott; all rights reserved.

Beatrix OFr Beatris, Betriz. Bete is a hyp. form of which Beton is a dim. Becok is a dim. of Be, a hyp. of Beatrix or Beton. Beatricie and Beatricis are Lat gens. Of Beatricia and Beatrix, resp. [Beatrice, Beeton, Beet, Bett, Beacock]

Beatrice 1202 Thornton; 1230 Summerton; 1241-45 Mumby; 1274 Coe; 1297 Place; 1327 Nunney; 1332 Limpett; 1334 Gender; 1381 li Beatricia 1204 (S: Éadgifu); 1273 (W) Beatricie (g.) 1212 Beatrice Beatricis (g.) 1188 Lambkin Beatrix 1076-84, 1187-1215 (W); 1209 Fairfoot; 1216-72 Crecy; 1279 Burrey; 1320 Lappin; 1346 (W); 1379 Bigby; 1396 Mather; 1441 Delamond; 1597 Robbie Beatriz* 1210 Beatrice Beautrice 1487 (W) Betrice 1283 Philcox Betryse c.1440 Beeton Bete c.1440 Beeton Bete* 1298 Beet Beton 1379 Beeton Betta 1247 Bett Betune c.1440 Beeton Becok* 1332 Beacock

Abbreviations * (used before a name) = a form for which I do not know any attestation. * (following a name) = form attested as a surname. (g.) = form attested following Lat filius or filia. < = derives from. > = yields. a. = ante, before. acc. = accusative case. app. = apparently. c. = circa, about. CG = Continental Germanic. deriv. = derivative. dim. = diminutive. e. = early Eng = English. esp. = especially. fem. = feminine. Fr = French. g. or gen. = genitive case. Gk = Greek. Heb = Hebrew. hyp. = hypocoristic. Ir = Irish. Ital = Italian. l. = late. Lat = Latin. masc. = masculine. ME = Middle English. nom. = nominative case. obl. = oblique case. OBret = Old Breton. ODa = Old Danish. OE = Old English. OFr = Old French. ON = Old Norse. OSw = Old Swedish. perh. = perhaps. pop. = popular. prob. = probably. sim. = similar. var. = variant. vern. = vernacular. 12° = twelfth century, and similarly for other centuries.

--Source: http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/reaneyAG.html