Daily AncestorBess
Bess was a common nickname for Elizabeth in American records of the 1700s and 1800s.
Bess is a short form of Elizabeth, and a Vita Brevis guide from American Ancestors lists it with Bessie, Betsy and Betty among the forms of Elizabeth to search.
If a search for Elizabeth finds nothing, try Bess, and the reverse. Treat a match as a lead and confirm it with age, birthplace and family members.
As seen in a recordGravestone, 1834; her husband's will calls her Elizabeth
Bess, wife of Calvin Pettibone, died March 23, 1834, aged 54 years
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Bess." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/nicknames/bess. Last checked 2026-10-15.