A Mennonite family name of Swiss-German origin, Bachman was mentioned as early as 1672 in a letter written from Freisheim, Germany, which identified the family with Bernese Anabaptists. The family evidently originated at Bottenstein in the canton of Aargau. From Switzerland members of the family moved to the Palatinate. As early as 1742 Andreas Bachmann, together with other Amish immigrants, arrived in eastern Pennsylvania from the Palatinate.

It was in the 19th century, however, that the name became common in North American Mennonite circles. Of the fourteen leading Amish names introduced among the North American Mennonites during that century, C. Henry Smith lists Bachman as fourth in numerical importance.

Other members of the family who had immigrated to the Palatinate, moved from there to Galicia, and during the last quarter of the 19th century to the prairies. Other descendants bearing the name of Bachmann remained in South Germany, where some have been members of the Mennonite Church.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, pp. 203-204. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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