Map of Austria showing where the Baffour arms are recorded
The Baffour arms were recorded in Austria, c. 1772.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Tyrol.
Tyrol was mountain country in western Austria, where the valleys were held by families who had been there a very long time. Old tenure counted for more than money, and old families carried arms.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
Region
Tyrol
First recorded
1772
Granting Authority for the Baffour Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Austria when the Baffour arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Austria
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
Granting authority
The Imperial and Royal chancery managed all heraldic matters and controlled the official granting of arms throughout the Austrian lands.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal imperial decree that often accompanied the elevation of a person to noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Official records of these grants were kept in the Imperial Register of Nobility which began its formal documentation process in 1453.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Austria.
Origin & History of the Baffour Family in Austria
The family name Baffour has deep roots in the mountainous region of Tyrol, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1772. During this period, Tyrol was a key crossroads for trade and culture within the Holy Roman Empire. Families in this area often lived in small, tight-knit alpine communities that relied on farming and local craftsmanship to survive. Because the region was geographically isolated by high peaks, families like the Baffours often developed strong local identities tied to the specific valleys they inhabited. Over time, the name became associated with the hardworking people who navigated the rugged terrain of the Eastern Alps. While the exact origins of the name remain a subject of study, its presence in 18th-century Tyrolean records suggests that the family was well-established in the social and economic life of the region long before the modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Baffo
Derived from the Italian word for mustache or bearded one.
This name
BaffourAn occupational or descriptive surname referring to a man with a prominent mustache.
also spelled
Bafore
Baforr
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Tiroler Landesarchiv, Tiroler Steuerkataster 1772
Huter, Franz, Tiroler Urkundenbuch, 1937
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