Show ContentsBavar History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the bearers of the Bavar family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Baber, in the county of Suffolk. There is also a place in Cornwall called Baber (sometimes known as St. Dominick) from which some cases of the name may originate, but it is of later origin than the one in Suffolk.

"This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Baber.' Mr. Lower derives it from the Hundred of Babergh, Suffolk. But in the Cornwall Directory occurs a place called Baber, seemingly the same as St. Dominick. Baber is a familiar Devon and Cornwall surname. " 1

Significantly, one source notes that the name could have been Gaelic in origin, from "Babair or Basbair, a fencer or swordsman; one who, by his blows, produced death; from Bas, death, and fear, a man." 2

Early Origins of the Bavar family

The surname Bavar was first found in Cambridgeshire, where Henry Babre was registered in the Hundrendorum Rolls of 1273. 1

Early History of the Bavar family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bavar research. Another 206 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1532, 1571, 1572, 1578, 1582, 1593, 1601, 1608, 1621, 1625, 1628, 1629, 1635, 1640, 1642, 1644, 1660, 1669, 1677, 1687, 1700, 1704 and 1757 are included under the topic Early Bavar History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bavar Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Bavar include Baber, Babre, Bayber, Baybre, Babar, Baybar, Babor, Babir and many more.

Early Notables of the Bavar family

Distinguished members of the family include Edward Baber (1532-1578), an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Bath (1571 to 1572); John Baber (1593-1644), an English lawyer and politician, Member of Parliament for Wells (1628-1629) and in 1640; and Sir John Baber, M.D. (1625-1704), an English physician to Charles II. He was the son of John Baber, recorder of Wells, Somersetshire, and was born 18 April 1625. He was educated at Westminster school, whence he...
Another 75 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bavar Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bavar family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bavar or a variant listed above: Francis Baber, who sailed to Massachusettes in 1635. Robert Baber journeyed to Virginia in 1663 and Nick Baber sailed to Philadelphia in 1838.



  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print


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