Last name origin & meaning: German, English, Scottish, French, and Danish: from the Germanic
personal name Bertram, composed of the elements berht
‘bright’, ‘famous’ + hrabn ‘raven’. The raven was the bird of
Odin, king of the gods, in Germanic mythology. The personal name was
common in France throughout the Middle Ages, where its popularity was
increased by the fame of the troubadour Bertrand de Born
(?1140–?1214). The spelling Bertrand is French, coined by
folk etymology under the influence of the present participle ending
-and, -ant. The name was taken to England by the Normans
in the forms Bertran(d), Bertram, and Bartram. This name appears in the following lists:
Animals
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