Show ContentsBrauer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient German region called the Rhineland is where Brauer was first used as a hereditary surname. While Germans initially used on a single name, they later adopted surnames to alleviate confusion with others of the same name. As the population grew and people traveled more, the confusion rose, and so did surname use. Many German surnames were derived from the type of work done by the original bearer of the surname. Brauer is an occupational name for a person who made and sold ale or beer.

Early Origins of the Brauer family

The surname Brauer was first found in the Rhineland and Baden, where the name could be considered to make a great early contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of early development of Europe. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the savage tribal and national conflicts, each group seeking power and status in an ever changing territorial profile.

Early History of the Brauer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brauer research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1726, 1829, 1842, 1895 and 1925 are included under the topic Early Brauer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brauer 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 Brauer include Brauer, Braur, Brauere, Braure, Brauerre, Braeuer (Silesia and Hessen), Brauers (Rhineland), Breuer, Braeuers, Braeur, Braeurer, Breyer, Breier, Brower (East Friesland), Browers and many more.

Early Notables of the Brauer family

Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brauer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brauer Ranking

In the United States, the name Brauer is the 7,624th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]


United States Brauer migration to the United States +

Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The Brauer were among of the early German families that came to North America:

Brauer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jacobus Brauer, who arrived in New York State in 1710
  • Andreas Brauer, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1750
  • Michael Brauer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 [2]
  • Andreas Brauer, who landed in America in 1780 [2]
  • Henrich Brauer, who arrived in New York, NY in 1782 [2]
Brauer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • J H Brauer, who arrived in North America in 1832-1849 [2]
  • Martin Brauer, who arrived in America in 1834 [2]
  • Luise Brauer, aged 24, who arrived in America in 1843 [2]
  • Eleonore Margarethe Clare Brauer, who landed in Galveston, Tex in 1846 [2]
  • Gerhard Brauer, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1848 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Brauer migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Brauer Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • John Brauer, aged 33, a labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Eveline" in 1865 [3]
  • Marie Rose Brauer, aged 34, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Eveline" in 1865 [3]
  • Gertrude Brauer, aged 1, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Eveline" in 1865 [3]
  • Mr. Johan Brauer, South African settler travelling from Cape Town aboard the ship "Eveline" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 22nd January 1865 [4]
  • Mrs. Maria Rosa Brauer, South African settler travelling from Cape Town aboard the ship "Eveline" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 22nd January 1865 [4]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Brauer (post 1700) +

  • Jerald Carl Brauer (1921-1999), American church historian, Dean of the University of Chicago's Divinity School
  • Richard Dagobert Brauer (1901-1977), German-American mathematician awarded the Cole Prize for Algebra in 1949
  • Tiny Brauer (1909-1990), American actor
  • Jochen Brauer, German jazz musician
  • Max Brauer (1887-1973), German politician, first mayor of Hamburg
  • Arik Brauer (1929-2021), Austrian painter, printmaker, poet, dancer, singer, and stage designer
  • Timna Brauer (b. 1961), Austrian singer and songwriter
  • Thage Brauer (1894-1988), Swedish Olympic high jumper
  • Jono Brauer (b. 1981), Australian Olympic skier
  • Friedrich Moritz Brauer (1832-1904), Austrian entomologist and museum director

Bismarck
  • Walter Bräuer (1922-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking [5]


  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)
  3. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 4th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  4. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  5. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details


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