Binder Family History

South German, Swiss German, and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surnames include an occupational name for a cooper or barrel maker, deriving from the German (Fass)binder, which is an agent derivative of binden meaning ‘to bind’. Less often, the same term was also used to signify a bookbinder, analogous to the English name.

This surname is not only found in Germany but also in Denmark, France (Alsace and Lorraine), Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, and Slovenia. Variants and related surnames include Boettcher, Buettner, Pinter, and Schaeffler.

In German, the surname can be considered a variant of Bunde. In English, it is recognized as an occupational name derived from Middle English binder, which translates to ‘binder’ (from Old English bindere), likely representing a bookbinder.

Overall, the surname illustrates the historical significance of occupations in the derivation of family names across various cultures and regions, particularly in relation to binding professions.