Berthier Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Berthier last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Berthier last name
Meaning of the Berthier last name: bright army. Berthier is a French surname from the Germanic personal name Berthari, from berht, "bright", and hari, "army". Marshal Louis-Alexandre Berthier was Napoleon's closest staff officer, and the town of Berthierville in Quebec carries this last name. It is common in Burgundy and Franche-Comté.
Arms associated with the Berthier name
In France a coat of arms was used by town families and merchants as well as knights, and heraldry associated with the Berthier name belongs to that wide tradition.
Get your full Berthier family history
This is only a glimpse of the Berthier story. The full Berthier 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 Berthier coat of arms. Get the full Berthier report.
Berthier name FAQ
What does the Berthier name mean?
Bright army. Common variants include Bertier, Berthiez.
Where does the Berthier surname come from?
It originates in France, and is also found in Canada, Belgium and Switzerland.
Is there a Berthier coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Berthier coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Albert Dauzat, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France (Larousse); Marie-Thérèse Morlet, Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille (Perrin, 1991).