A German, Austrian and Danish surname the Bauer family name originated in the Austrian region. It translate to referring to a farmer, neighbor or peasant. The Bauer surname is very popular in Germany, Australia, Poland, Czech Republic, Serbia, Ukraine, Slovenia, Romania and Estonia.

Spelling variations for Bauer include Bohr, Burr, Bauerre, Bower, Bauerr, Baur and Boerema

Bauer families in England live chiefly in Yorkshire and the city of London. In Scotland the main location for Bauer families is Midlothian.

The states with many Bauer families in the United States include Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, California and Pennsylvania.

Famous: Wilhelm Bauer (German inventor of the U-boat), Bruno Bauer (19th century German philosopher), Chris Bauer (actor), Hank Bauer (professional baseball player), John Bauer (19th century artist and illustrator from Sweden), Yevgeni Bauer (silent film director from Russia), Steven Bauer (actor) and Marion Bauer (music composer).