Bothwell Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Bothwell last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Bothwell last name
Meaning of the Bothwell last name: booth by the spring. Bothwell is a Scottish surname from Bothwell in Lanarkshire, from bothe, "hut", and wella, "spring". Bothwell Castle on the Clyde is one of the great medieval castles of Scotland. James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, made the title famous; the last name spread through Ulster.
Arms associated with the Bothwell name
Coats of arms associated with the Bothwell surname follow Scottish heraldry, where each blazon belongs to one bearer.
Get your full Bothwell family history
This is only a glimpse of the Bothwell story. The full Bothwell history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Bothwell coat of arms. Get the full Bothwell report.
Bothwell name FAQ
What does the Bothwell name mean?
Booth by the spring. Common variants include Bothwel.
Where does the Bothwell surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Bothwell coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Bothwell coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).