This is a French probably Huguenot form of the medieval personal name 'Bartholomew' which derives from the Aramaic patronymic 'bar-Talmay', meaning 'son of Talmay', itself meaning 'having many furrows', and thus, 'rich in land'. Bartholomew was a very popular personal name throughout Christendom in the Middle Ages, due particularly to the influence of the Saint Bartholomew, patron saint of tanners, vintners and butlers. The personal name is first recorded as Bartholomeus in the 12th century, in Northamptonshire. In the modern idiom the name has very many variations, diminutives such as Bartlet, and patronymics such as Barson, in England at least, there being literally hundreds of variants throughout Europe. One Samuel Barthelemy was christened on the 11th October, 1614, at the French Huguenot Church, Threadneedle St., London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Bartelmeu. which was dated 1273 Hundred Rolls, Huntingdonshire. during the reign of King Edward I '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.

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