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Barth History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Barth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The history of the Barth family name begins in the German province of Bavaria. Barth is a nickname surname, a class of German names derived from "eke-names," or added names, that described people by a personal characteristic or other attribute. Barth is a name for a bearded person, derived from the old German word "Bardo," which means "bearded one." Barthe, a variant of the name, is a French local name for someone who lived on a piece of land overgrown with bushes or shrub.

Early Origins of the Barth family

The surname Barth was first found in Bavaria, where the name became noted for its many branches with the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied by the princes of the region. In their later history the family became a power unto itself and they were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they grew into this most influential family.

Early History of the Barth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barth research. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1210, 1311, 1587, 1650, 1658, 1702, 1735, 1800, 1809, 1810, 1821 and 1865 are included under the topic Early Barth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barth Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Barth include Barth, Bartmann, Bart, Barthe and others.

Early Notables of the Barth family

Prominent among members of the name Barth in this period include

Kaspar von Barth (1587-1658), who was a very learned and respected philologist in Brandenburg...
Christian Samuel Barth (1735-1809) was a student of...
Heinrich Barth (1821-1865) was a German explorer who led one of the most famous expeditions through the Sahara to inner Africa...

Barth Ranking

In the United States, the name Barth is the 2,207^th most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Barth is ranked the 1,796^th most popular surname with an estimated 3,421 people with that name. 2

Barth migration to the United States +

Between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries, German settlers arrived in North America by the thousands. Persecution based on religion and poverty were great motivators in this large-scale migration. So too was the opportunity for tenant farmers to own their own land. Ample land and opportunity awaited the settlers who went to such states as Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, as well as Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Barth or a variant listed above:

Barth Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Zacharias Barth, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1730 3
John Jacob Barth, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1736 3
Johan Jacob Barth, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1736 3
Jacob Barth, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 3
Frantz Ludwig Barth, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Barth Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Karl Gottlieb Barth, who landed in Maryland in 1836 3
Mrs. Michael Barth, who arrived in North America in 1837 3
Jost Barth, who landed in North America in 1837 3
Karl Barth, who arrived in Brazil in 1840 3
Nicholas Barth, aged 29, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Maryland in 1840 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Barth Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Alfred Oswald Barth, who arrived in Arkansas in 1901 3

Barth migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Barth Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Adam Barth, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1783

Contemporary Notables of the name Barth (post 1700) +

John Simmons Barth (1930-2024), American novelist and professor of English
Connor Thomas Barth (b. 1986), American NFL football placekicker
Brigadier-General Charles Henry Jr. Barth (1903-1943), American Chief of Staff, US European Theater of Operations (1943) 4
Isaac Barth, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Arizona Territory, 1904 5
Gustav A. Barth, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Richmond County, 1896 5
Gisele Barth, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Dakota, 2000 5
Frederic H. Barth, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1959-61 (acting, 1959-61) 5
Frank Barth, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Iowa, 1952 5
Evelyn P. Barth, American politician, Anderson Coalition Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1980 5
Charles F. Barth, American Democratic Party politician, Chair of Seward County Democratic Party, 1940; Secretary of Nebraska Democratic Party, 1940; Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Nebraska, 1944, 1948 5
... (Another 15 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Barth family +

Bismarck

Johannees Barth (1918-1941), German Matrosenobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 6
Heinrich Barth (1916-1941), German Funkmaat who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 6

USS Arizona

Mr. DeWayne Barth, American Boatswain's Mate First Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 7

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 6) Charles Barth. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Barth/Charles_Henry_Jr./USA.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html