Beier History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The ancestral home of the Beier family was in the German state of Bavaria. Beier is a local name for a person who lived in Southern Germany. Further research showed the name was derived from the name the Celtic tribe of the "Boii" who once inhabited this area as well as Bohemia. Beier is derived from the Latin root word Bauari, which means Bavarian people. In the 6th century, the Boii were replaced by a Germanic tribe, a branch of the Marcomanni, who adapted the name Boioarii or Baiuarii. Beyer is also the German and Ashkenazic Jewish name for someone from Bavaria, or Bayern.

Early Origins of the Beier family

The surname Beier was first found in Bavaria, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by several leaders in their search for power. The name is related to "Bayer," both names referring to the Kingdom of Bavaria, but from early on "Beyer" and its variations formed distinct branches. A high percentage of these branches moved into Silesia, a region just north east of Bavaria.

Early History of the Beier family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beier research. Another 141 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1716, 1747, 1786 and 1803 are included under the topic Early Beier History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beier 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 Beier include Beyer, Beyere, Beyerre, Beier, Beir, Beiere, Beierre and many more.

Early Notables of the Beier family

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beier Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beier Ranking

In the United States, the name Beier is the 10,672^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Beier 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 Beier or a variant listed above:

Beier Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Andreas Beier, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 2
Martin Beier, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 2
Hendrick Beier, aged 26, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1739 2
Anna Maria Beier, who landed in America in 1741 2
Johann Andreas Beier, who arrived in America in 1741 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Beier Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joseph Beier, aged 47, who landed in Missouri in 1840 2
Caspar Beier, aged 37, who landed in Missouri in 1848 2
Bernh Jos Beier, who arrived in America in 1848 2
Ernestine Luise Beier, who landed in Texas in 1854 2
Auguste Beier, aged 26, who arrived in New York, NY in 1884 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Beier (post 1700) +

William Beier, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Louisiana 3rd District, 2002 3
Samuel K. Beier, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 12th District, 1928 3
Florence Beier, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives 23rd District, 1972 3
Dean G. Beier, American politician, Mayor of Birmingham, Michigan, 1952-53 3
Tom Beier (b. 1945), American former AFL football safety
William Beier (b. 1982), German ice dancer, brother of Christina Beier, four-time German national champions
Ulli Beier (1922-2011), German editor, writer and scholar
Karin Beier (b. 1965), German theatre director
Christina Beier (b. 1984), German ice dancer, sister of William Beier, four-time German national champions
Albert Beier (1900-1972), German footballer
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Beier family +

Bismarck

Rudolf Beier (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 4
Wilhelm Beier (1918-1986), German Matrosenobergefreiter serving aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he survived the sinking 4
Otto Beier (1914-1941), German Feuerwerksmaat who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 4
Ernst-August Beier (1920-1941), German Matrose II who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 4

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 29) . 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