Besse Family History

French: topographic name for someone who lived by a birch tree or in a birch wood from Occitan bès ‘birch tree’.

It can also be a habitational name from (La) Besse, the name of several places mainly in southern France.

These places are named from the same word, which ultimately comes from Gaulish betu.

In essence, the name reflects a connection to the natural landscape, specifically birch trees.

This etymology highlights the cultural significance of trees in naming conventions in French-speaking regions.