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| Origins Available: |
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The Baerndorp family name first began to be used in the German state of Bavaria. After the 12th century, as hereditary surnames began to be adopted, names that were derived from locations became particularly common. The family name Baerndorp is a local surname. Originally denoting the proprietorship of an estate or influence within a village, the German preposition von, which means from or of, used with local names, was taken as a mark of aristocracy. The surname Baerndorp was given to someone who lived in Bavaria. During the Middle Ages, when feudalism, chivalry, and knighthood characterized Europe, heroic battles over power and prestige were fought between the noble families. In an age of rapidly changing political and religious alliances, the Baerndorp family declared their loyalty to many different noblemen and princes who sought their support in the conflicts of the day. Consequently, the Baerndorp family made a vital contribution to the ancient German traditions of military initiation, legality, and chivalry.
The surname Baerndorp was first found in Bavaria, where the name Berndorf made a great early contribution to the feudal society of early Europe. The name Berndorf became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses where family members continued to play important roles in the savage tribal and national conflicts which resulted as each group sought to maximize its power and status in an ever changing territorial profile.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Baerndorp research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1506 and 1521 are included under the topic Early Baerndorp History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Baerndorp include Berndorf, Berndorff, Berndorfer, Berndorffer, Burndorf, Burndorff, Berndorphe, Berndorp, Berndorper, Berntorf, Berntorff, Berntorffer, Barndorf, Baerndorf, Barndorff, Baerndorff, Barndorffer, Baerndorffer, Barndorp, Baerndorp, Barndorper, Baerndorper, Barntorf, Baerntorf, Barntorff, Baerntorff, Barntorffer and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Baerndorp Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were: C. W. Berndorff, who arrived in New York, NY in 1862.