Show ContentsHaas History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Haas 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 Haas 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 Haas was given to someone who lived in Bavaria, where the family was closely identified in early medieval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history.

Early Origins of the Haas family

The surname Haas was first found in Bavaria, where the family was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs. The name originates from the German word "Hase," meaning rabbit. Chronicles first mention Ruediger Hase in Bavaria in 1173, Henrich Hase, the owner of the inn "zum Hase" in Basel in 1293, and the name Hass appears in Prague in 1363.

Early History of the Haas family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Haas research. Another 443 words (32 lines of text) covering the years 1316, 1362, 1421, 1503, 1536, 1684, 1742, 1762, 1774 and 1801 are included under the topic Early Haas History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Haas 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 Haas include Hase, Haase, Haas, Hasse, Hasen, Haass, Haasse, Haasen, Haes, Haese, Haess, Haesse, Heslin, Haeslein and many more.

Early Notables of the Haas family

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

Haas World Ranking

In the United States, the name Haas is the 1,012nd most popular surname with an estimated 29,844 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Haas is ranked the 1,073rd most popular surname with an estimated 5,020 people with that name. 2 And in Netherlands, the name Haas is the 868th popular surname with an estimated 2,304 people with that name. 3


United States Haas migration to the United States +

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:

Haas Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Hend Haas, who arrived in New York in 1709 4
  • Michel Haas, who landed in New York in 1709 4
  • Niclaus Haas, who arrived in New York in 1709-1710 4
  • Paulus Haas, who landed in New York in 1709 4
  • Simon Haas, who arrived in New York in 1709 4
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Haas Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Ans Haas, who landed in America in 1807 4
  • Dan Haas, who landed in America in 1807 4
  • Ulrich Haas, who landed in New York in 1834 4
  • Philipp Haas, who landed in North America in 1835 4
  • Georg Haas, who arrived in North America in 1836 4
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Haas Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Frank Haas, who landed in Galveston, Tex in 1907 4

Canada Haas migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Haas Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Carl Haas, who landed in Nova Scoria in 1757
  • Johannes Haas, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1757
  • Simon Haas, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
  • Susana Haas, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
Haas Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Gottfried Haas, who landed in Quebec in 1850
Haas Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • Gottfried Haas, aged 16, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1902

Contemporary Notables of the name Haas (post 1700) +

  • Charles S. "Charlie" Haas (b. 1952), American screenwriter and actor, and novelist
  • Lukas Haas (b. 1976), American actor who has appeared in more than 50 feature films
  • Fred Haas (1915-2004), American golfer who won 5 PGA events in the 1950s
  • John Charles Haas (1918-2011), American businessman and philanthropist, former chairman of Rohm and Haas
  • Walter A. Haas (1889-1979), American President and Chairman of Levi Strauss & Co
  • Dolly Haas (1910-1994), German-American actress
  • Ludwig Haas (1933-2021), German television actor, best known for portraying Dr. Ludwig Dressler in the WDR German television series Lindenstraße, since the very first episode in 1985
  • Daniel Haas (b. 1983), German footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Erzgebirge Aue
  • Christian Haas (b. 1958), West German sprinter who specialized in the 100 metres in the 1980s
  • Thomas Mario Haas (b. 1978), German silver medalist tennis player at the 2000 Olympic Games, as of 2017 he has won $13,609,987
  • ... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bismarck
  • Peter Haas (1918-1941), German Matrosenobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 5
  • Otto Haas (1918-1941), German Maschinengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 5
RMS Titanic
  • Miss Aloisia Haas (d. 1912), aged 24, Swiss Third Class passenger from Altdorf, Uri who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 6
USS Arizona
  • Mr. Curtis Junior Haas, American Musician Second Class from Missouri, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 7


Suggested Readings for the name Haas +

  • Genealogy of the Goldman, Levy, Wertheim, Kaufman, Fleishman, Haas, Koshland, Stern, Strauss, Meyer, and Newmark Families by Douglas Edward Goldman.
  • Haas Family History by Arthur Milton Haas.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. "Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
  4. 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)
  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
  6. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
  7. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html


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