Bethell

Bethell is an English surname, from a medieval diminutive of the personal name Beth, which in turn is derived from Elizabeth. It can also be a Welsh surname, from the given name Ithael. It has variations Bithell and Bythell. Notable people with the surname include:


 * Alexander Bethell (1855–1932), Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
 * Anna Bethell (1882–1969), English actress, singer and stage director
 * Bob Bethell, Republican member of the Kansas House of Representatives, representing the 113th district
 * Christopher Bethell (1773–1859), Bishop of Bangor
 * Ernest Bethell, British journalist who worked in Korea under Japanese rule
 * George Bethell (1849–1919), Royal Navy officer and Conservative politician
 * Hugh Bethell (died 1679) (1615–1679), English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1660 to 1679
 * James Bethell, 5th Baron Bethell (born 1967), British Conservative politician
 * John Bethell, 1st Baron Bethell (1861–1945), British banker and Liberal politician, created Baron Bethell
 * Keppel Bethell, Major-General in the First World War
 * Lauran Bethell (21st century), American Baptist missionary
 * Leonard Arthur Bethell (1879–1950), Lieutenant Colonel in Gurkha regiments in North East India, author, member of the Younghusband expedition to Tibet, 1904
 * Leslie Bethell (born 1937), English historian, university professor, and Brazilianist
 * Marie Bethell Beauclerc (1845–1897), pioneer in the teaching of Pitman's shorthand and typing in Birmingham, England
 * Nicholas Bethell, 4th Baron Bethell (1938–2007), British historian of Central and Eastern Europe
 * Ray Bethell, professional kite flyer in Vancouver, Canada
 * Richard Bethell, 1st Baron Westbury (1800–1873), Lord Chancellor of Great Britain
 * Richard Bethell (1772–1864) (1772–1864), British Tory and then Conservative Party politician from Rise, Yorkshire
 * Roy Bethell (1906–1976), English footballer
 * Tabrett Bethell (born c. 1982), Australian model and actress
 * Tom Bethell (1936–2021), journalist who writes mainly on economic and scientific issues
 * Tony Bethell (1922–2004), RAF pilot and participant in the "Great Escape"
 * Ursula Bethell (1874–1945), New Zealand poet
 * Ursula Bethell, Baroness Westbury (1924–2023), British peeress and superintendent-in-chief of St John Ambulance
 * Zachary Bethell (died 1635), royal servant