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Bahr Family History

Bahr Surname Meaning

North German: from Middle Low German bar(e) ‘bear’ hence a nickname for someone thought to resemble the animal, 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.

German (Bähr): variant of Baer 1, a cognate of 1 above of Middle High German origin. Compare Baehr 1 and Bar.

Jewish (Ashkenazic; Bähr): variant of Baer. Compare Baehr.

Germanized form (Bähr) of Sorbian Běr: from a short form of the Old Sorbian personal name Běrisław (based on the Old Slavic imperative beri ‘collect’). Compare Baehr.

Muslim (mainly Egypt): from Arabic baḥr ‘sea’. This word is used in composite epithets such as Baḥr al-ʿUlūm ‘sea of knowledge’, a delightful nickname for a scholar, and the surname might have originated from such use.

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


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Where is the Bahr family from?

You can see how Bahr families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bahr family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bahr families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 13 Bahr families living in London. This was about 59% of all the recorded Bahr's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Bahr families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bahr surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Bahr ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Bahr. 100% of Bahr women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Bahr | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Bahr family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 29,000 census records available for the last name Bahr. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bahr census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bahr

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Bahr. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Bahr immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 12,000 military records available for the last name Bahr. For the veterans among your Bahr ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bahr military records

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What is the average Bahr lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Bahr life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Bahr in 1941 was 32, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bahr

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bahr ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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