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The name Bterram (Bturan, Beturan, Btouram) is known since the twelfth century as evidenced by Arabic and Syriac manuscripts written by the Lord of Bterram, Galterius of Buturan and retained at the National Library of Paris and the Libraries of Vatican and Oxford (Bibliothèques et Conservation du Patrimoine Graphique au Liban).
The meaning in Arabic of this town is "Wind of the Rock" or the rocky wind. According to another reference, Bterram is originated from "bet" "tur" "ram" or "House of the High Mountain".
During the Shehaby Emirs reign (beginning 1800s), Bterram used to be the center of the government (1).
Bterram is largely known for its grapes and olive fields which have been mentioned in a sculpted statement on the gate of a very old school, Khairieh Hossen School build in 1316 near the Mansouri Mosque in Tripoli .
www.bterram.com
Originally its inhabitants came from the same family: two brothers, Salem and Malek, from Horan (South of Damascus, actual Syria) were first to settle in Bterram (1). Nowadays, many families of Bterram have the same origin: some are linked to the Salem family, the others to the Malek's.
Bterram's other family names are: Abboud, Alagha, Deab, Fellah, Jabbour, Jarjoura, Khalache, Khawli, Khoury, Makhoul, Melki, Naser, Saker, Sarkis, Serhan, Sha, Srour, Tannous, Yazbek, Younes...
(1): Kamous Lubnan, Jumah Wadih Nicholas Hanna, First print 1927, Assalam Eds)
Said Semaan Jabbour Serhan wearing traditional costume from the beginning of 20th century (shared by Michel G. Serhan)
