English occupational name from Middle English bakere, Old English baecere, from bacan 'to bake'. It could mean a baker in a great house or the keeper of a village's shared oven, which in many places was a hereditary right. In America it also translates names meaning 'baker' such as Dutch Bakker and German Becker.
Spellings and related forms: Baxter, Mac a' Bhacstair (Gaelic), Bakker (Dutch), Becker (German), Boulanger (French).
The loaf and peel show the bread-baking trade the name describes.
Most surnames have no single "family crest". In heraldry, a coat of arms belonged to one person and passed down one line of descent. Sites that sell "the Baker coat of arms" usually show the arms of one historic family that shared the name. Ours is different on purpose: an original design built from what the name means, which any Baker can own honestly.
Blankets: soft velveteen plush (100% polyester), printed on one side; may run up to 3 in. short of the listed size. Rugs: polyester chenille with hemmed edges and a coated backing, for indoor use. Both are printed in the USA (Georgia and North Carolina).
Name meanings come from the sources above, checked 2026-10. Where scholars disagree, we say so.