Show ContentsBremer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The German surname Bremer emerged in the lands that formed the modern state of Lower Saxony, which is presently bordered by the North Sea, the Hartz mountains and the Elbe and Ems rivers. Lower Saxony was previously a medieval Saxon dukedom. The name Bremer, which is a local surname, reveals that the original bearer of the name once lived, held land, or was born in this beautiful region of Lower Saxony.

Early Origins of the Bremer family

The surname Bremer was first found in the county of Oldenburg, where the name became noted for its many branches with the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied by the princes of the region. In their later history the family became a power unto themselves and were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they grew into this most influential family. The name Bremen was applied to people who originated from the Free City of Bremen, first chosen as a residence by the bishop Willehad in 787.

Early History of the Bremer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bremer research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1707, 1801, 1830 and 1865 are included under the topic Early Bremer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bremer Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Bremer, Bremmer, Bremerr, Bremert, Bremen, Bremener, Bremner and many more.

Early Notables of the Bremer family

Notables of the time included

  • Fredrika Bremer (1801-1865), who was a distinguished poet and writer

Bremer Ranking

In the United States, the name Bremer is the 7,167th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [1] However, in Netherlands, the name Bremer is ranked the 734th most popular surname with an estimated 2,579 people with that name. [2]


United States Bremer migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bremer Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • James Bremer, who arrived in Maryland in 1678 [3]
  • Solomon Bremer, who arrived in South Carolina in 1697 [3]
Bremer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jacob Bremer, who landed in New York in 1709 [3]
  • Christopher Bremer, who arrived in Virginia or Maryland in 1732
  • Hans Philip Bremer, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 [3]
  • Philip Adam Bremer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1749 [3]
  • Leonhart Bremer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1752 [3]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bremer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Ludg Bremer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1803 [3]
  • Henry Bremer, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1810 [3]
  • Philip Bremer, who arrived in Maryland in 1835 [3]
  • Heinr Bremer, who arrived in Ohio in 1836 [3]
  • Joh Bern Bremer, who arrived in America in 1842 [3]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bremer (post 1700) +

  • Eugene Joseph Bremer (1916-1971), American Negro league baseball pitcher who played from 1937 and 1948, Negro League World Series Champion (1945)
  • Lucille Bremer (1923-1996), American actress and dancer
  • Lewis Paul "Jerry" Bremer III (b. 1941), American diplomat, government official, ambassador to the Netherlands (1983-1986) and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
  • William Bremer, American politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Herkimer County, 1919 [4]
  • Victor D. Bremer, American politician, Mayor of Nebraska City, Nebraska, 1953 [4]
  • Otto Bremer, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Minnesota, 1912 [4]
  • L. Paul III Bremer (b. 1941), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Netherlands, 1983-86, 1986-89 [4]
  • Johnny Bremer, American Republican politician, Candidate for Florida State Senate 14th District, 1978 [4]
  • John Bremer, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for Presidential Elector for New York, 1896 [4]
  • Al Bremer, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Iowa 6th District, 1982 [4]
  • ... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bismarck
  • Hermann Bremer (1921-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking [5]


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
  3. 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)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  5. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details


Houseofnames.com on Facebook