Baren History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Ireland

The surname Baren evolved in the ancient German province of Westphalia. It is a nickname, a style of hereditary surname that developed out of the traditional German "eke-names," that identified people by naming them after a physical characteristic or other identifiable trait. Baren is a name for a person who was short and stout, as the name was derived from the Latin word "Bassus," which means "thick" or "wide."

Early Origins of the Baren family

The surname Baren was first found in Westphalia, where the name Baar emerged in medieval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.

Early History of the Baren family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Baren research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1696, 1710, 1720, 1798 and 1872 are included under the topic Early Baren History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Baren Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Baren include Baar, Bar, Bahr, Baaren, Barr, Baher, Baren and others.

Early Notables of the Baren family

Notables of the period with the name Baren were Johann Christian Felix Bahr (1798-1872) German philologist and historian, best known for his work on the history of Roman literature, "Gersc hichte der romischen Litteratur" and his edition of Herodotus' works.Ernst Theophilus Baron was a famous lute player, born at Breslau Feb. 27, 1696. His first instruction was...
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Baren Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Baren migration to the United States +

Many Germans emigrated across the Atlantic to seek better lives in North America. This great migration began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century. Resettlement was particularly attractive to those from Westphalia as a means of escape from poverty and religious persecution. For many Westphalian farmers, the chance to own one's own land was also a major incentive. The process of 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 settlements centered around Ontario and the Prairie provinces. Among them:

Baren Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mrs. Van Baren, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 1
Aart Van Baren, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 1
Mrs. B Van Baren, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 1
Cornelius Van Baren, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 1

Citations +

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)