Bartholomaeus

Bartholomaeus is a masculine given name of Latin form Bartholomaeus, derived from the Greek Bartholomaios, which in turn comes from Hebrew bar-Talmai meaning “son of Talmai.” The name was common in medieval and early modern Latin writing and persists in various European languages in forms such as Bartholomäus (German), Bartholomeus (Dutch), and Bartholomé (Spanish). In English, Bartholomew or Bart is typical, while Bartholomaeus appears chiefly in historical or academic contexts.

In Christian tradition, Saint Bartholomew the Apostle is one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus; he is venerated in Western and Eastern churches with a feast day on August 24 (Bartholomew’s Day). His life is surrounded by legend, with martyrdom widely asserted but details varying by tradition. The name’s association with a saint contributed to its continued use in Europe.

Notable individuals named Bartholomaeus include Bartholomaeus Pitiscus (1561–1613), a German mathematician who popularized the term “trigonometry” and published early trig tables; Bartholomaeus de Saliceto (c. 1210–1277), an Italian surgeon and physician influential in the development of anatomy and surgery; and Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg (1685–1719), a German Lutheran missionary in India who helped establish early Protestant missions there. The form Bartholomaeus also appears in historical church records and scholarly works, reflecting its longstanding use as a Latinized given name across Europe.