Show ContentsBaum History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The historical and enchanting region of Austria is the homeland of the Baum family. Austria, which was originally home to a Celtic people, was conquered by the Roman Empire in about 15 BC. Following the fall of Rome, Austria was repeatedly invaded by barbarian tribes, such as the Vandals, Visigoths, and Huns, who swept in from the east. During the 5th and 6th centuries, the Alemanni, Avars and Slavs settled Austria. The Avars were defeated in 785 by the Frankish emperor Charlemagne, who set up the East Mark, which later became known as the Österreich. Otto I defeated the Magyars in 955. Austria was ruled by the Babenburger dynasty until 1278, when they were succeeded by the Hapsburg dynasty, which ruled Austria until the 20th century.

Early Origins of the Baum family

The surname Baum was first found in Austria, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century onwards 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 Baum family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Baum research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1777, 1811, 1856 and 1919 are included under the topic Early Baum History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Baum 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 Baum include Baum, Baumm, Baume, Baumme, Baums, Baumb, Baumbe and others.

Early Notables of the Baum family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Baum were

  • Frank Baum (1856-1919), who wrote the immensely popular "The Wonderful World of Oz", which later was made into a motion picture...

Baum Ranking

In the United States, the name Baum is the 2,280th most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. 1


Baum migration to the United States +

After the First World War, Austria became a republic. The Treaty of Versailles broke up the empire in 1919 and many of the Sudeten Germans were incorporated into the new nation of Czechoslovakia. In the 20th century, many Austrians migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Baum were

Baum Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Sarah Baum, age 70, settled in America in 1709
  • Abram Baum, who landed in New York in 1709 2
  • Johan Baum, who landed in New York in 1709 2
  • Magdalina Baum, age 29, who settled in New York City in 1710
  • Mathias Baum, who landed in New York, NY in 1710 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Baum Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Sebastian Baum, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1839 2
  • George Baum, aged 21, who arrived in Missouri in 1840 2
  • Frederick Baum, who landed in Mississippi in 1842 2
  • John Baum, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1844 2
  • Rudolph Baum, aged 9, who landed in New York, NY in 1847 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Baum Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Abraham Baum, who arrived in North America in 1901 2
  • Frank Charles Baum, who landed in Wisconsin in 1920 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Baum (post 1700) +

  • Lyman Frank Baum (1856-1919), better known by his pen name L. Frank Baum, American writer and director, best known for penning The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900
  • Ray Baum (1955-2018), American politician, Member of the Oregon State legislature
  • Paul Frank Baum (b. 1936), American mathematician, the Evan Pugh Professor of Mathematics at Pennsylvania State University
  • Friedrich Baum (1727-1777), German dragoon Lieutenant Colonel of Brunswick in British service during the American Revolutionary War
  • Walter Emerson Baum (1884-1956), American artist and educator
  • Roger Stanton Baum (b. 1938), American children's author
  • Frank Joslyn Baum (1883-1958), American lawyer, soldier, writer, and film producer
  • Edgar Schofield Baum (1916-2006), American artist
  • Bernie Baum (1929-1993), American songwriter who worked extensively with Elvis Presley
  • Frank Baum (b. 1956), retired German footballer
  • ... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bismarck
  • Fritz Baum (1916-1941), German Funkmaat who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 3


  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. 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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