Boecher History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Boecher

What does the name Boecher mean?

The Boecher surname first began to be used in the German state of Bavaria, some time after the 12th century, when hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules, and names that were derived from locations became particularly common. The family name Boecher 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 Boecher was given to someone who lived near a beech tree, a beech wood, or a beech grove. The name Boecher is derived from the German word buohe, which means beech tree and the name Buchholz, which means beech grove, is also the name of several places in Germany. Bucher is also traceable to the German towns named Buch and Buchenwald and natives of these towns often adopted the name as their own.

Early Origins of the Boecher family

The surname Boecher was first found in Bavaria, where the name Bucher made a great early contribution to the feudal society of early Europe. The name Bucher became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses where members continued to play important roles in the savage tribal and national conflicts, which resulted a each group sought to enhance its power and status in an ever changing territorial profile.

Early History of the Boecher family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boecher research. Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Boecher History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boecher 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 Boecher include Bucher, Bucker, Bukker, Buchen, Buchert, Bucken, Buchere, Buckere, Buecher, Buecker, Buekker, Buechen, Buecken, Buchere, Buckere, Bocher, Bocker, Bochen, Bocken, Bochere, Bockere, Boecher, Boeker, Boecker, Boechen, Boeken, Boechere and many more.

Early Notables of the Boecher family

More information is included under the topic Early Boecher Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Boecher family

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: William Bucher, who arrived in Virginia in 1635; Francis Bocken who arrived in Virginia in 1701; Jacob Bucher accompanied by his wife Barbara Albrecht arrived in Philadelphia in 1735.