Show ContentsBermann History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The German surname Bermann emerged in the lands that formed the powerful German state of Prussia, which at one time was an immense German territory that stretched from France and the Low Countries to the Baltic sea and Poland. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the German territories were inhabited by a variety of Barbarian tribes. The borders of the Barbarian kingdoms changed frequently, but the region that became known as Prussia was roughly divided between the areas of Brandenburg-Prussia, West Prussia, and East Prussia. The Bermann family emerged as Brandenburg-Prussia, which is essentially the birthplace of modern Germany. By the 19th century, Brandenburg-Prussia had incorporated East Prussia, West Prussia and many other German territories. Moreover, in the late 19th century, it led the German states in the unification of Germany.

Early Origins of the Bermann family

The surname Bermann was first found in Prussia, where this family name became noted for its many branches with the region.

Early History of the Bermann family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bermann research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1761, 1782, 1784, 1807, 1811, 1820, 1836, 1838 and 1842 are included under the topic Early Bermann History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bermann 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 Bermann include Beurmann, Beuremann, Beurrmann, Beurmann, Beurman, Beureman, Buermann, Buerman, Burmann, Buremann, Bureman and many more.

Early Notables of the Bermann family

Notable figures of the time with the name Bermann were Wilhelm Beurmann, who received a noble diploma in 1761. Bärmann is the name of a remarkable family of musicians, (1) Heinrich Joseph, one of the finest of clarinet players—'a truly great artist and glorious man' as Weber calls him—born at Potsdam Feb. 17, 1784, and educated at the oboe school there, where his ability procured him the patronage of Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia. The peace of Tilsit (1807) released him from a French prison, and he then obtained a place in the court band at Munich. He next undertook a tour...
Another 152 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bermann Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Bermann migration to the United States +

The state of Prussia was a great influence on the shape of modern Germany. After the Second World War, Prussia's land was divided among the Soviet Union, Poland, East Germany and West Germany and the state was abolished. Some Prussians remained in those countries after the war, while many others migrated to North America in search of a new start. Philadelphia was their primary point of entry to the United States, after which many of them moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. A large number of Prussians also migrated to Ontario and the prairie provinces as United Empire Loyalists. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Bermanns to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Bermann Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Heinrich Bermann, aged 29, who arrived in Missouri in 1840 1
  • Maria Bermann, aged 12, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1879 1
  • August Bermann, aged 47, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1879 1


  1. 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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