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Beaver History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Beaver History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

Etymology of Beaver

What does the name Beaver mean?

The ancestral home of the Beaver family is in the German province of Bavaria. Beaver is a German nickname surname. Such names came from eke-names, or added names, that described their initial bearer through reference to a physical characteristic or other attribute. It is a name for a person who was known as hard-working or industrious. The distinguished name Beaver is derived from the Old German word beber, which meant beaver. In the Middle Ages, anthropomorphic ideas, which attributed human qualities and form to gods or animals were popular. These associations were reflected in folk tales, mythology, and legends that portrayed animals behaving as humans. Beaver is also a local type of surname and there are numerous places named Bieber and Bieberach in several localities in Germany.

Early Origins of the Beaver family

The surname Beaver was first found in Bavaria, where the name Bieber was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society of early 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.

Early History of the Beaver family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beaver research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1644, 1681, 1704, 1714 and 1824 are included under the topic Early Beaver History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beaver 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 Beaver include Bieber, Biber, Bieben, Biebel, Biebele, Bieble, Biebber, Biebben, Biebbel, Biebele, Biebble, Beiber, Beiben, Beibel, Beibele, Beible, Beibber, Beibben, Beibbel, Beibbele, Beibble, Byber, Byben, Bybel, Bybele, Byble, Bybber, Bybben, Bybbel, Bybbele, Bybble, Beyber, Beyben, Beybel, Beybele, Beyble, Beybber, Beybben, Beybbel, Beybbele, Beybble and many more.

Early Notables of the Beaver family

Prominent among members of the name Beaver in this period include Heinrich Johann Franz von Biber (1644-1704), a German violinist and composer, who served for many years as the musical conductor at Salzburg. He was...
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beaver Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beaver Ranking

In the United States, the name Beaver is the 1,757^th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. 1

Beaver 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:

Beaver Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Matthew Beaver, who arrived in Virginia in 1638
Mathew Beaver, who arrived in Virginia in 1638 2
Charles Beaver, who landed in Maryland in 1666 2
Francis Beaver, who landed in Maryland in 1668 2
Richard Beaver, who landed in Maryland in 1674 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Beaver Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Geo Dewalt Beaver, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
John Geo Beaver, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
Harts Jacob Beaver, aged 19, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1741 2
Dieble Beaver, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1741 2
Mr. Beaver, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1766
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Beaver Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Beaver, aged 20, who arrived in Delaware in 1812 2
Mary Beaver, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
Michael Beaver, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
G W Beaver, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
J. Beaver, who was on record in San Francisco, California in 1852
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Beaver migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Beaver Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Elizabeth Beaver who settled in Fort Cumberland in Nova Scotia in 1745
Elizabeth Beaver, aged 30, who arrived in Fort Cumberland, Nova Scotia in 1775

Beaver migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Beaver Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Beaver, a carpenter, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
William Beaver, English Convict from York, who was transported aboard the "Aboukir" on December 24, 1851, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 3

Beaver migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Beaver Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Edwin Beaver, aged 21, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Dallam Tower" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Beaver (post 1700) +

James Addams Beaver (1837-1914), American Republican politician, attorney, recruiter and field commander of Pennsylvania Infantry who was wounded four times during the Civil War, and politician who served as the 20th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1887 to 1891; he also served as the acting president of the Pennsylvania State University from 1906 to 1908 4
Robert Beaver (b. 1949), American experimental film maker
Paul Beaver (1926-1975), American jazz musician and a pioneer in popular electronic music, using the Moog synthesizer
Louise Beaver (1902-1962), American film and television actress
James Norman "Jim" Beaver Jr. (b. 1950), American stage, film, and television actor, playwright, screenwriter, and film historian
Mary E. Beaver, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1928 4
John V. Beaver, American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from Indiana 5th District; Elected 1952 4
Jefferson A. Beaver, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1956, 1960 4
James R. Beaver, American politician, Mayor of Kennewick, Washington, 1996- 4
J. A. Beaver, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Missouri State House of Representatives from Laclede County, 1950 4
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 18) Aboukir voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Norfolk Island. [These convicts appear to have all landed in Van Diemen's Land], Australia in 1851 with 280 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/aboukir/1851
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html