The Backus surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 7,064 people carried this name — #4,974 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 41,800 people counted. That is up 4% from 6,822 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Backus surname

Inherited from Middle English bakhous (“bakery”), from Old English bæchūs.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Backus» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the bake-house’.

An early record he cites: Willian atte Bakehous, Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

His entry covers Backhouse, Bacchus and Backus.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 72 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

63 families named Backus, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 391 people lived in those households, 6.2 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 13 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Connecticut 33
New York 14
Massachusetts 8
Pennsylvania 3
North Carolina 3
New Hampshire 1
Vermont 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 228 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Backus in American newspapers,
1911–1914.

Newspaper page from Tensas Gazette carrying the name Backus
Tensas Gazette 1911-05-12
Newspaper page from The Caldwell Watchman carrying the name Backus
The Caldwell Watchman 1911-04-21
Newspaper page from The Ekalaka Eagle carrying the name Backus
The Ekalaka Eagle 1914-05-01

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 73,194 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Backus in Australian newspapers,
1850s–1950s.

262 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Backus. The most, 53, date from the 1850s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 1.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 95
New South Wales 76
Tasmania 46
Queensland 20
South Australia 14
Western Australia 8
ACT (Canberra) 1

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Backus.

Who carried it

People named Backus,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Henry T. Backus
    Henry T. Backus 1809–1877 · judge
  • Isaac Backus 1724–1806 · writer
  • James Backus 1764–1816 · pioneer
  • Azel Backus 1765–1817 · Christian minister
  • Eleazer Fitch Backus 1770–1859
  • Jabez Backus Hyde 1774–1855 · missionary

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 9 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Backus,
in the records of 5 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States882 records

882 records of the Backus name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 268
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 217
  • New York State death index (outside NYC), 1957–2001 162
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 134
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 64
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 36
  • U.S. service members who died in the Vietnam War 1
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Joe W. Backus

    Born 1917 in Texas. Enlisted 1940 at Fort McIntosh Laredo; mechanic's helper from Maverick County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1989, buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Catherina Backus

    Arrived at New York in 1838 aboard the Ville de Lyon from Havre, aged 16; farmer. From Prussia, Germany.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Kenneth Frank Backus

    Born 1938; from Pyrites, New York. U.S. Air Force, pilot; declared dead 1967 in North Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 882 records for Backus in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Netherlands1,317 records

1,317 records of the Backus name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1,089
  • Dutch population registers 216
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 12
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Gerard Backus

    Married in 1842 in Venlo; gardener, born 1813 in Venlo. Died 1871 in Venlo, aged 57.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Gemeentearchief Venlo (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Maria Catharina Backus

    Married in 1832 in Herten; maidservant. Died 1873 in Herten (Ool), aged 68.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Maria Anna Backus

    Born 1853 in Venlo. Died 1856 in Venlo.

    Open Archives, Gemeentearchief Venlo (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,317 records for Backus in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada21 records

21 records of the Backus name in Canada
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 7
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 5
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 3
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 3
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 2
  • Ontario immigration records, 1865–1883 1
  1. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record John Joseph Backus

    Served in the No. 2 Construction Battalion in the First World War, private; of Goldenville, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Francisca Backus

    Died 1979, aged 77; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary Vanderveer Backus

    Died 1925 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 21 records for Backus in Canada.

Counts: City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Australia16 records

16 records of the Backus name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 10
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 4
  • NSW convict, estate and railway indexes 2
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record James Backus

    Labourer of Williamstown, Victoria; died 1880.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Charles Backus

    Arrived in Victoria in 1890 aboard the Colusa.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary A. Backus

    Of Grafton, New South Wales; died 1924.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 16 records for Backus in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Germany14 records

14 records of the Backus name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Jakob Backus

    From Crefeld. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 19 December 1918 (Infantry Regiment No. 364).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Anastasius Backus

    From Lonsk, Schwetz. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 27 August 1917.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Johann Backus

    From Crefeld. Reported dead in the Imperial Navy casualty list of 8 June 1917.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 14 records for Backus in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Backus.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Backus is.
A volume says what happened to it.

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