indicate the level to which a name has been verified.
Type Surname (from occupation, from location & from nickname)
Usage English (American)
Other Forms FormsBesant
Meaning & History
Possibly derived from Old French bezant, a kind of silver or gold coin minted in Byzantium, ultimately derived from Latin byzantius "of Byzantium". It may have been a nickname for a coin minter, for a wealthy person, or for someone who migrated from Byzantium. Alternatively, it could be an altered form of Baigent.