Surname Baunach - Meaning and Origin

Baunach: What does the surname Baunach mean?

The last name Baunach is an occupational name, and in Germany and parts of Western Europe, it historically referred to someone who was employed to prepare baize cloth for covering tables. The word comes from the Old Germanic word “banah” which means “shearing cloth” or “making cloth.” Thus, the name Baunach literally means “he who makes cloth” or “he who prepares baize.”

Although today the surname Baunach is no longer directly related to that occupation, many surnames are still carried on generation after generation and remembered as part of family history. This is especially true for the Germanic regions like Germany, Austria, and Switzerland where the last name is still most common.

Despite the more humble beginnings of the Baunach surname, the family members have certainly left their mark on history. Notable members of the Baunach surname include the German artist and lithographer Moritz Baunach, the Swiss-American painter Albert Baunach, and the French actor Hubert Baunach. There have also been prominent political figures with the surname Baunach, like the Austrian politician Max Baunach and the German diplomat Richard Baunach.

It is clear that today, the last name Baunach has expanded far beyond its origin and come to mean much more than just a maker of cloth. It has come to represent a long history of family and a successful legacy of achievement.

Baunach: Where does the name Baunach come from?

The last name Baunach is common in Germany today, particularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the German-speaking areas of Austria, Slovenia, and Hungary. It is also found in several other countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In the latter, the name was introduced there by German immigrants, some of whom had emigrated from the original German-speaking areas where the name originates.

According to the US Census Bureau, in 2020 there were 263 people in the United States with the last name Baunach and most of the individuals were located in California, Texas, Massachusetts, Illinois, and New York. In Australia, the last name is relatively rare, with only 45 individuals with that surname according to the most recent Australian census. In Canada, 637 individuals had the last name Baunach as of the last census.

In Europe, the last name is most common in Germany, where it is ranked as the 473rd most common surname. It is also relatively common in the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland, where it is the 2,655th, 12,318th, 7,726th, 5,198th, and 8,368th most common name respectively.

Today, the last name Baunach remains largely concentrated in Germany and its surrounding countries. Although it can now be found around the world, it is most popular in its home country of Germany, as well as in several other European countries.

Variations of the surname Baunach

The surname Baunach has a variety of spellings and variants, as family names often do, that can appear in records. These variants, spellings and associated surnames include Bahnack, Bahnan, Bhanach, Bhamack, Bhamon, Bhanock, and Bhannock.

Baunach is a Germanic surname, derived from a place-name, and thought to have originally referred to someone from Baden- Württemberg, an area of southwest Germany. The root words behind the name 'Baunach' are 'Bann' and 'Ach', deriving from 'Bannichte', which can be translated to mean 'area of official jurisdiction'.

The earliest records of the surname Baunach date from the late 17th century in Germany. Within this time period, the name is associated with a family from the Eichsfeld district of Thuringian who owned lands in the area.

Variants of the surname Baunach have also been found in early records in the US, South America, and Canada, suggesting that families with the name first originated from Germany, Austria, and/or Switzerland. These families may have immigrated to the US or other areas, taking the name with them.

Variants of the surname can also be found in other areas of Europe, such as Scotland, Ireland, and parts of England. These families may have adopted the surname upon arriving in these countries, or may be descended from German or Austrian immigrants to the region.

Famous people with the name Baunach

• Joe Baunach: Former professional ice hockey player and current sports analyst.
• Maureen Baunach: American politician who served in the Florida House of Representatives and is a member of the Democratic Party.
• Nate Baunach: Former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Chicago Cubs and Detroit Tigers.
• Sonny Baunach: 1960 Olympic gold medalist and amateur boxer from Germany.
• Karl Baunach: Austrian actor who starred in over 50 films from the 1930s to the 1960s.
• Emil Baunach: German jurist, legal historian, and diplomat who served in the diplomatic service of Germany.
• Joel Baunach: American composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist.
• Toby Baunach: Professional stuntman and actor who has appeared in numerous films and TV shows.
• Walter Baunach: German sculptor and graphic artist who served as professor of sculpture at the School of Fine Arts in Berlin.
• Bill Baunach: American professional wrestler better known by his stage name, “The Wildman”.

Other surnames

Baunacher