Explore the Family Name Baer
The meaning of Baer
1. German (also Bär): from Middle High German ber ‘bear’, a nickname for someone thought to resemble the animal in some way, a metonymic occupational name for someone who kept a performing bear, or a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a bear. In some cases it may derive from a personal name containing this element. Compare Bar 2. 2. Jewish (Ashkenazic; also Bär): from the Yiddish male personal name Ber, from Yiddish ber ‘bear’. Compare Bar 1. 3. Germanized form (also Bär) of Sorbian Běr: see Bar 3. 4. Dutch: variant of Baar. History: The surname Baer was established in Northampton County, PA, in 1743.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Baer in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Baer experienced a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of this surname slipped from 2052 to 2192, demonstrating a small drop of around 6.82%. However, the total count of individuals with this surname slightly increased by 2.61%, from 16,165 to 16,587. Correspondingly, the proportion per 100,000 people fell by approximately 6.18%, moving from 5.99 to 5.62.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,052 | #2,192 | -6.82% |
| Count | 16,165 | 16,587 | 2.61% |
| Proportion per 100k | 5.99 | 5.62 | -6.18% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Baer
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some shifts for those bearing the Baer surname between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as White decreased by 1.33%, while those identifying as Hispanic saw a substantial increase of 55.86%. Another notable increase was seen in the American Indian and Alaskan Native category, which rose by 65.38%. Meanwhile, the proportion of people of Asian/Pacific Islander heritage increased by 15.28%, and those identifying as Black or Two or more races also saw increases of 28.89% and 5.94%, respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.1% | 94.82% | -1.33% |
| Hispanic | 1.45% | 2.26% | 55.86% |
| Two or More Races | 1.01% | 1.07% | 5.94% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.72% | 0.83% | 15.28% |
| Black | 0.45% | 0.58% | 28.89% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.26% | 0.43% | 65.38% |
Baer ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Baer is French & German, which comprises 35.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (28.5%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (13.9%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 35.7% |
| British & Irish | 28.5% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 13.9% |
| Other | 21.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Baer
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Baer have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 74.00% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 73.70% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 73.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 73.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 73.50% |
What Baer haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Baer is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L51 and R-U152, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Armstrong, Chamberlain, Baca, Plummer, Martins, Ryan, Correia, Main, Flint, Alves.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Baer surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Baer have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Baer" Surname 39.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Baer" Surname 26.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Baer" Surname 16.5%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Baer" Surname 16.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Baer?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Baer are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition