Show ContentsBad History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

During the Middle Ages, the surname of Bad was used in Austria. Originally the home of a Celtic people, Austria was conquered by the Roman Empire in about 15 BC. Following the fall of Rome, Austria was repeatedly invaded by barbarian tribes, such as the Vandals, Visigoths, and Huns, who swept in from the east. During the 5th and 6th centuries, the Alemanni, Avars and Slavs settled Austria. The Avars were defeated in 785 by the Frankish emperor Charlemagne, who set up the East Mark, which later became known as the Österreich. Otto I defeated the Magyars in 955. Austria was ruled by the Babenburger dynasty until 1278, when they were succeeded by the Hapsburg dynasty, which ruled Austria until the 20th century.

Early Origins of the Bad family

The surname Bad was first found in Austria, where the name became noted for its many branches within the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied by the princes of the region. In their later history the name became a power unto themselves and were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they grew into this most influential family. Literally the name referred to the owner of a health or bathing resort, who was often himself a physician.

Early History of the Bad family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bad research. Another 174 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1778, 1795, 1808 and 1841 are included under the topic Early Bad History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bad Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Bad include Beder, Bader, Bad, Bade, Baderr, Badder, Baader, Baade, Badenius (Latin), Bading and many more.

Early Notables of the Bad family

Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bad Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bad Ranking

In the United States, the name Bad is the 17,894th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Bad migration to the United States +

Austria was made a republic after the First World War. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up by the Treaty of Versailles and many of its people found themselves in the new nation of Czechoslovakia. Many other Austrians and expatriate Austrians made their way to North America in the 20th century. Most landed in Philadelphia, later continuing on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Some Austrian settlers also went to western Canada and Ontario. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bad or a variant listed above:

Bad Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Wilhelm Bad, who landed in Texas in 1846 2
  • B B Bad, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 2
  • P. Bad, who arrived in San Francisco, California, in 1852


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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