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Baer Family History

Baer Surname Meaning

German (also Bär): from Middle High German ber ‘bear’ a nickname for someone thought to resemble the animal in some way a metonymic occupational name for someone who kept a performing bear or a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a bear.

In some cases it may derive from a personal name containing this element. Compare Bar Jewish (Ashkenazic; also Bär): from the Yiddish male personal name Ber from Yiddish ber ‘bear’.

Compare Bar Germanized form (also Bär) of Sorbian Běr: see Bar Dutch: variant of Baar.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Baer family from?

You can see how Baer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Baer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Baer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 12 Baer families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 38% of all the recorded Baer's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Baer families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Baer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Baer ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Baer. 11% of Baer men worked as a Laborer and 9% of Baer women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Baer were Clerk and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Baer | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    11%
  • Farmer
    10%
  • Salesman
    9%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    9%
  • Teacher
    8%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • Housekeeper
    6%

What Baer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 72,000 census records available for the last name Baer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Baer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Baer

Passenger Lists

There are 18,000 immigration records available for the last name Baer. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Baer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 19,000 military records available for the last name Baer. For the veterans among your Baer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Baer military records

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