The Betty lamp is thought to be of German, Austrian, or Hungarian origin. The Betty Lamp first came into use in the 18th century. They were commonly made of iron or brass and were most often used in the home or workshop. These lamps burned fish oil or and had wicks of twisted cloth. The Betty lamp differs from earlier oil/grease lamps in that it uses an internal wick holder to eliminate fuel drip common with older lamp designs. This internal wick holder feature made the Betty lamp design very popular.