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Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

Bertha f. Old High German beraht, Old Saxon berht 'bright' from Proto-Germanic *berhtaz.

The name of numerous early saints. The name of two queens of France (10th C, 11th C), a Byzantine empress (12th C), and a queen of Burgundy (10th C).

Brabant
Latin
1312 Berta (nom) JeanIII p. 21, Bertha (nom) ibid. p. 27
Czech Republic
Latin
1349 Perchta (nom) chlumecky 125; 1350 Berchta (nom) ibid. 167; 1358 Perchte (dat) ibid. 222, p. 31
France
Latin
c823 Berta (nom) irminon-vol2 38, Palatiolum; 1107 Berta (nom) CartStPC XVII; 1135 Berta (abl) clairvaux-12thc 7; 1138x62 Berta (nom) ibid. 66, Bertha (nom) ibid. 66; 1147 Berta (abl) ibid. 15, Bertha (abl) ibid. 14, Berthe (gen) ibid. 17; 1166 Berta (abl) ibid. 130, Berte (gen) ibid. 130; 1179 Berta (abl) ibid. 176
Middle French
1563 Bertine RegPCC-1 p. 35; 1565 Bertine ibid. p. 133; 1566 Bertine ibid. p. 250; 1567 Bertine ibid. p. 290; 1568 Bertyne ibid. p. 363
Germany
Latin
822x875 Berhtah (nom) TradCorb §47, Bertha (nom) ibid. §47; 1076 Bertha (abl) quix-vol1 47
Early New High German
1409 Berchte (nom) UrkJen2 18
Italy
Latin
1092 Berta (nom) RCI-Cam1 565; 1100 Berta (nom) ibid. 626; 1261 Perhtam (acc) FRA-XXXL 209; 1285 Berte (gen) Perugia1285 p. 156
The Netherlands
Latin
1254 Berte (gen) GesOIJ-1 p. 294
Cite as: S.L. Uckelman. "Bertha". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2016, no. 3. http://dmnes.org/2016/3/name/Bertha.