UK surname
An occupational surname referring to a baker or someone who bakes bread and pastries.
In the 1881 census there were 26 people recorded with the Bacher surname, ranking it #29,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 17, ranked #36,904, down from #29,911 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Norton, St Leonard Shoreditch and St Dunstan Stepney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bacher is 173 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 34.6%.
1881 census count
26
Ranked #29,911
Modern count
17
2016, ranked #36,904
Peak year
1861
173 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Bacher surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Bacher surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 18 | #30,094 |
| 1861 | historical | 173 | #13,553 |
| 1881 | historical | 26 | #29,911 |
| 1891 | historical | 84 | #26,229 |
| 1901 | historical | 39 | #29,799 |
| 1911 | historical | 33 | #29,703 |
| 1997 | modern | 8 | #37,372 |
| 1998 | modern | 13 | #36,679 |
| 1999 | modern | 16 | #36,371 |
| 2000 | modern | 10 | #37,001 |
| 2001 | modern | 13 | #36,483 |
| 2002 | modern | 15 | #36,381 |
| 2003 | modern | 13 | #36,620 |
| 2004 | modern | 13 | #36,742 |
| 2005 | modern | 12 | #36,936 |
| 2006 | modern | 10 | #37,224 |
| 2007 | modern | 10 | #37,335 |
| 2008 | modern | 12 | #37,143 |
| 2009 | modern | 11 | #37,336 |
| 2010 | modern | 13 | #37,215 |
| 2011 | modern | 12 | #37,287 |
| 2012 | modern | 18 | #36,723 |
| 2013 | modern | 17 | #36,857 |
| 2014 | modern | 18 | #36,811 |
| 2015 | modern | 18 | #36,809 |
| 2016 | modern | 17 | #36,904 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Norton, St Leonard Shoreditch, St Dunstan Stepney, Manchester and Greenock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norton | Yorkshire, North Riding |
| 2 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | St Dunstan Stepney | London (East Districts) |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Greenock | Renfrew |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Bacher surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bacher, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Bacher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Bacher household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Bacher is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bacher is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Bacher, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Bacher is of German origin, and it can be traced back to the late Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Bacher," which means "baker" or "someone who bakes bread." This occupational surname was likely given to individuals who worked as bakers or were involved in the baking trade.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, the Bacher surname was found in various regions of Germany, particularly in the southern and central parts of the country. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in historical documents and records from cities such as Nuremberg, Augsburg, and Frankfurt.
One of the earliest known references to the Bacher surname dates back to the 13th century. In a manuscript from the city of Mainz, a baker named Heinrich Bacher was mentioned as a witness in a legal document from the year 1273.
During the Middle Ages, surnames were often derived from occupations, and the Bacher surname likely originated as a way to distinguish bakers from other tradesmen. As the practice of using hereditary surnames became more widespread, the name was passed down from generation to generation.
Notable individuals with the surname Bacher include Johann Bacher (1554-1619), a German theologian and philosopher who wrote extensively on Protestant theology and ethics. Another prominent figure was Philipp Bacher (1682-1738), a German composer and organist who worked in the court of the Prince-Bishop of Bamberg.
In the 19th century, a family of Bachers from the town of Oberkirch in Baden-Württemberg gained some recognition. Friedrich Bacher (1801-1867) was a respected lawyer and judge, while his son, Wilhelm Bacher (1850-1909), became a renowned Orientalist and scholar of Semitic languages.
Throughout history, variations in spelling of the Bacher surname have been observed, such as Bächer, Baecher, and Bachert. Some of these variations may have been influenced by regional dialects or scribal errors in historical records.
While the Bacher surname is most commonly associated with Germany, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, likely due to migration patterns and the spread of German immigrants over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bacher surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Renfrewshire leads with 9 Bachers recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.67x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Renfrewshire | 9 | 47.67x |
| Middlesex | 8 | 3.28x |
| Surrey | 3 | 2.53x |
| Sussex | 2 | 4.87x |
| Essex | 1 | 2.08x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 2.36x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 1.63x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Greenock in Renfrewshire leads with 9 Bachers recorded in 1881 and an index of 265.49x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| West Greenock | 9 | 265.49x |
| Chelsea London | 5 | 68.12x |
| Broadwater | 2 | 212.77x |
| Battersea | 1 | 11.15x |
| Brentwood | 1 | 344.83x |
| Edgbaston | 1 | 52.36x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 4.71x |
| Long Ditton | 1 | 526.32x |
| Roath | 1 | 51.81x |
| St George In East London | 1 | 43.67x |
| Westminster St John | 1 | 33.67x |
| Whitechapel London | 1 | 41.67x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bacher surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bacher surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Bacher households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 3 |
| Accountant | 1 |
| D Nurse | 1 |
| Domestic Serv | 1 |
| General Serv | 1 |
| German Goods | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Nurse Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Office Boy | 1 |
| Skin Dresser | 1 |
| Tailor | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 26 people were recorded with the Bacher surname. That placed it at #29,911 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 17 in 2016. That gives Bacher a modern rank of #36,904.
An occupational surname referring to a baker or someone who bakes bread and pastries.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bacher bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.