Recorded as Beatson (Scottish) and Batson, Battson and Battison (English), this surname is a patronymic. It derives from the surname and personal name Batt, a nickname form of the famous name Bartholomew, introduced into Europe by returning Crusaders from their various expeditions to try to free the Holy Land from the Muslims in the 12th century. Alternatively it is just possible that some modern surnames may originate from the Olde English pre 7th century personal name "Bata". The Hebrew Bartholomew is derived from the ancient patronymic "Bartalmay", which means "having many furrows" or "rich in land", hence a wealthy farmer. It was a very popular personal name in the Middle Ages, because of the fame of St. Bartholomew, the patron saint of tanners, vintners and butlers. The Olde English "Bata" is though to derive from the word "batt", meaning cudgel, and used as a byname for a stout, thickset man. Thomas Bateson was registered in the Poll Tax records of the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1379 and John Beatisoun at Fife in 1458. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Bate de Butwick, of Lincolnshire, in the Hundred Rolls of 1273. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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