Find out how popular the last name Bauer is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bauer.

Bauer, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Bauer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bauer in America

Bauer is the 517th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bauer surname appeared 65,004 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 22 people would have the surname Bauer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bauer to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Bauer

The surname "BAUER" is of German origin, derived from the Old High German word "búr" or "gebúr," meaning "farmer" or "peasant." It originated in the 8th or 9th century when surnames began to emerge in German-speaking regions. The name was initially used as an occupational surname for those involved in agricultural work or farming.

In the Middle Ages, the name Bauer appeared in various records and documents across German territories. One of the earliest recorded mentions can be found in the "Codex Traditionum Monasterii Sanct Pauli in Carinthia," a medieval cartulary from the St. Paul's Abbey in Carinthia, Austria, dating back to the 11th century.

As families migrated and settled in different regions, variations of the name emerged, such as Baur, Bauer, Paur, and Paur. Place names were often incorporated into the surname, leading to forms like Bauermann, Bauersfeld, and Bauernfeind.

One notable figure bearing the Bauer surname was Kaspar Bauer (c. 1615-1672), a German painter and engraver from Bavaria. He was known for his landscapes and architectural depictions. Another prominent individual was Johann Bauer (1681-1726), a German astronomer and mathematician from Nuremberg, who made significant contributions to the study of comets and celestial mechanics.

In the 19th century, the name Bauer gained wider recognition with the work of Ferdinand Bauer (1760-1826), an Austrian botanical illustrator renowned for his exquisite drawings of plants during expeditions to Australia and the South Pacific. His brother, Franz Andreas Bauer (1758-1840), was also a notable botanical illustrator.

In the literary world, Ida Bauer (1882-1945) was a German writer and novelist known for her works exploring themes of love, family, and societal issues. Her novel "Die Bräute des Herrn" (The Brides of the Lord) was a notable success.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Bauer throughout history, reflecting its long-standing presence and varied contributions across different fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bauer

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bauer.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bauer was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Bauer has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Bauer was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bauer, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!