Bartholomew
A surname from the old Christian given name Bartholomew, ultimately meaning “son of Talmai” or “furrowed.”
The #2,374 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 20,128 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Bartholomew began as a biblical given name, from Aramaic Bar-Talmai, usually explained as “son of Talmai.” Talmai is commonly connected with a root meaning “furrowed” or “rich in furrows,” so the name may originally have described a ploughed or terraced place, or simply been a personal name. Through Greek and Latin Christian tradition, Bartholomew became a standard baptismal name in medieval Europe and later a hereditary surname in English-speaking areas.
History
The surname is widespread in Britain and was reinforced by the popularity of the saint’s name in medieval Christianity. Historical spelling and nickname forms produced many related surnames, including Bartle, Bartlett, Bartelot, and Bartlet; the sources here specifically note Bartlett/Bartelot and other shortened forms derived from Bartholomew. As a hereditary surname, it typically identifies descent from, or association with, a man named Bartholomew rather than a single clan or place.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The name Bartle, Bartlett, and Bartelot are all old diminutive or pet forms of Bartholomew, not separate root names.
From the historical record
“MAC FARLAN ] (Celt. + Heb.) Son of mAc FARLAND I Parlan or Partholan = MAC FARLAN E f Bartholomew, q,v. [Gael. MAC FARLIN I Mac Pharlain, genit. of , Parian] MAC FEE \ (Celt.) Son of Dubh-shith {sh”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)