Family Roots Publishing has just released the fourth in a series of volumes dealing with popular Germanic surnames. This book goes into great detail in covering Bauer/Baur heraldry and genealogy.
To celebrate the publication of the colorful new volume, FRPC is offering all four volumes 15% off MSRP. Normally 27.95, they are just $23.76 (plus $5.50 p&h).
The four volumes are:
Muller/Mueller Heraldry and Genealogy: A Geographical Perspective
Wagner Heraldry and Genealogy: A Geographical Perspective
Hoffmann Heraldry and Genealogy: A Geographical Perspective
Bauer/Baur Heraldry and Genealogy: A Geographical Perspective
Bauer/Baur Heraldry and Genealogy: A Geographical Perspective; by Frederick George Siler; 2019; 213 pp; 8.5×11; paperback; color illustrations; ISBN: 978-1-62859-253-5; Item #: FR0703.
This volume deals with the Germanic heraldry of families whose name was one of the most common in Germany – that of Bauer. The Bauer surname is said to have originated in the Central European cultural and linguistic regions where the Austro-Bavarian dialect of German is spoken. Bauer is a Germanic surname that was established long ago during the Medieval Period. The name is said to have developed from the following two primary sources:
- Bauer can be a descriptive name derived from the Middle High German “bur,” meaning “cottage.” Thus Bauer was a nickname meaning “cottage-dweller or neighbor.”
- Bauer could also be a status name meaning “peasant farmer,” based on a derivation from Old High German “buan,” meaning “to cultivate” the land. Moreover, Bauer is an occupational name denoting a peasant farmer who depends on either a cottage industry or farming for their livelihood.
Variations of the Bauer surname
Ever since the late middle ages, surnames in every European country have continued to spread out and develop into a significant number of variant spellings. Since the early use of the Bauer surname in southern Germany and Austria, the name and its variants spellings had quickly spread to northern and eastern Switzerland as well as throughout the rest of Europe. In English and other European languages, such as Yiddish and Danish the name is also spelled many ways. For example, Boer, and Boere are variants derived from the Dutch word for “farmer.” Likewise, Agricola is the Latin word for farmer. For example, the birth name of famous German scholar and scientist Georgius Agricola (1494–1555) was actually Georg Pawer which is a common variant of Bauer. The Scottish and English surname Bower or Burr (from the Old English bur) are altered spellings of the German family name Bauer. Other variations found in the southern German region of Swabia are Bauerle, Beuerle, and Beyerle.
As the Bauer surname has become widespread, not only in Germany, Austria, and eastern Switzerland but throughout Europe, many different spellings of the name have arisen over the centuries. The following variant spellings were investigated during the preparation of this book: Agricola, Baauer, Baehr, Bauaer, Bauar, Bauear, Baueer, Bauer, Bauera, Bauerbach, Bauere, Bauerfeind, Bauerfeindt, Bauerg, Bauerhans, Baueri, Baueria, Bauerie, Bauerii, Bauerjahn, Bauerk, Bauerl, Bauerle, Bauerlein, Bauermann, Bauermeister, Bauermüller, Bauern, Bauernfeind, Bauernfeindt, Bauernfeund, Bauerr, Bauerre, Bauers, Bauert, Bauier, Bauiere, Bauir, Baumeister. Bauor, Baur, Baurer, Baurers, Baurier, Bauyer, Baweer, Bawer, Bawere, Bawier, Baworόw, Bawr, Beuerle, Beyerle, Boer, Boere, Bohr, Bower, Bowra, Bowyer, Burr, Pauer, Paur, Pawer, Pawher and Pawr.
German heraldry is unlike British heraldry where a coat-of-arms is associated with one person. Siler’s book includes arms that originated as house marks, guild marks, and burgher arms that have been used by families for centuries. Also included are noble armorial bearings that have been granted to the children of an individual and have been passed down through descendants.
Read much more detail and/or order Bauer/Baur Heraldry and Genealogy: A Geographical Perspective at the FRPC website.
The following was written by a customer who purchased the Mueller volume:
This is a wonderful addition to my collection of genealogy resources. Well-written; in-depth information on heraldry; includes colored photos of a variety of Müller coat of arms by location with detailed information about each coat of arms. My ancestors surname is Miller/Moeller/Möller/Müller, so I am fortunate to have this resource available to me.
