Show ContentsBuhl History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Buhl is a local surname, which is a type of name that is derived from the geography of the place where the original bearer lived or held land. Specifically, this is a topographic surname. Further research revealed that the name is derived from a physical geographical feature of the place where the first member of the Buhl family lived which is derived from the Old German word "buehel," which means "hill."

Early Origins of the Buhl family

The surname Buhl was first found in 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.

Literally, the name comes either from the Old German word "Buehel," which meant "hill," or from the Old German word "buole," which meant "relative." Chronicles mention Bertolf Buole of Cologne as early as 1178, and Hainrich "on the buehel" of Bregenz in 1340. The family may either have lent its name to, or have originated in the town Buehl in Baden.

Early History of the Buhl family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Buhl research. Another 220 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1765, 1767, 1781, 1792, 1802, 1805, 1808, 1811, 1814, 1816, 1823 and 1825 are included under the topic Early Buhl History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Buhl Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Buhl, Buhle, Buhll, Buhlle, Buhler, Buehler, Beuhler, Pichler and many more.

Early Notables of the Buhl family

Notables with the surname Buhl during this period were

  • Joseph David Buhl, born near Amboise 1781, trumpeter, son of a musician in the service of the Duc de Choiseul. He was successively a member of the band of the 'Garde Parisienne,' organised 1792, and o...

Buhl Ranking

In the United States, the name Buhl is the 12,467th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]


United States Buhl migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Buhl Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jacob Buhl, who landed in New York in 1709-1710 [2]
  • Peter Buhl, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 [2]
  • Peter Buhl, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1741
  • Johan Philip Buhl, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 [2]
  • Joh Wilhelm Buhl, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Buhl Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Michael Buhl, aged 44, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 [2]
  • Michael Buhl, who accompanied by his wife, mother, sister and four children, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1804
  • Wilhelm Buhl, who arrived in Ohio in 1833 [2]
  • William Buhl, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County,Pennsylvania in 1847 [2]
  • Rosina Buhl, aged 19, who landed in New York in 1854 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Buhl Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Maria Barbara Buhl, who landed in America in 1928 [2]

Contemporary Notables of the name Buhl (post 1700) +

  • Angie Buhl, American politician, Member of the South Dakota Senate
  • Melissa Buhl (b. 1982), American professional downhill and mountain-cross racer, the 2008 4X World Champion
  • Christian H. Buhl (1812-1894), American businessman and industrialist from Detroit, Michigan, Mayor of Detroit (1860-1861), brother and partner of Frederich Buhl
  • Frederick Buhl (1806-1890), American businessman and politician from Detroit, Michigan, Mayor of Detroit in 1848
  • Frank H. Buhl (1848-1918), American entrepreneur and owner of Buhl Mansion, a historic home in Sharon, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
  • Robert Ray "Bob" Buhl (1928-2001), American Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played from 1953 to 1967
  • Robbie Buhl (b. 1963), American former Indy Racing League competitor and current team-owner
  • Ludwig von Buhl (1816-1880), German pathologist born in Munich
  • Theodor Buhl (1864-1922), London stamp dealer who published Stamp News
  • Ingeborg Buhl (1880-1963), Danish fencer whop competed in the women's foil competition at the 1924 Summer Olympics
  • ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  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)


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