Why Do All Amish Men Have Beards Without Mustaches?

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Learn why Amish men grow beards and how you can too

Co-authored by Barry Hairston and Bertha Isabel Crombet, PhD

Last Updated: January 9, 2026 Fact Checked

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Key Meanings

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Growing & Styling An Amish Beard

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FAQs

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Video

The Amish are a group of traditionalist Anabaptist Christians with roots in the 16th century. They’re known for living simply and peacefully, abstaining almost completely from the use of modern technology. In Amish culture, all women wear bonnets and all Amish men grow beards. But—is there a reason why Amish men have to grow beards? And why do they shave their mustaches? If you’re interested in the symbolism of an Amish beard as well as how you can grow one yourself, keep reading.

Why do Amish men grow beards?

Amish men grow beards to symbolize marriage, maturity, humility, and their detachment from the outside world. Men stop shaving their beards when they get married, which is a social signal that they're husbands. The Amish also closely follow the Bible, honoring Leviticus 19:27, which states not to trim facial hair.

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What does an Amish beard symbolize?

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The Amish beard represents maturity, humility, and a man’s marital status. In Amish culture, a man typically begins growing out a beard once he is married. Amish men don’t wear wedding rings, so the beard replaces that practice. Growing a beard is not only a public gesture confirming his married status, but a sign of embracing adulthood, indicating that the man is willing to take on more responsibilities in the community.^{[1]
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- It doesn’t matter whether the beard grows long and lush–the goal is to stop shaving your face (not grow a flowing beard).
- The Amish closely follow the word of God, using Leviticus 19:27 as an explanation for why they grow beards: “Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.”^{[2]
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  Research source} To the Amish, growing a beard is a way to demonstrate that they’ve humbled themselves according to the word of God by doing as instructed in the Bible.
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Amish men shave their mustaches to show that they are pacifists. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was traditional for military men to sport mustaches. War and conflict are concepts that go against Amish culture and beliefs–they are strict pacifists. Shaving their mustaches symbolizes their complete rejection of war and ensures they’ll never be mistaken for a soldier.
- It’s no longer traditional or required for soldiers to have mustaches, but the Amish have maintained the no-mustache rule.
- The Amish’s mustache-less beard is also known as a Shenandoah beard.

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How to Grow & Style An Amish Beard

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Achieving a luscious Amish beard begins at the follicle, so the first step is simply to allow your facial hair to grow. Traditional Amish beards typically connect to the sideburns and hang off the face by 6 or more inches, so length is key when seeking out this unique aesthetic.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Barry Hairston
Professional Barber

Expert Interview} Of course, if your facial hair stops growing at a certain point, that’s fine! Work with what you’ve got.^{[4]
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Whether you’re wielding the electric clippers yourself or having your barber do it, use them to make a clean line along your jaw and chin. You’ll want to trim all the hair on your cheeks and around your mouth for a truly authentic Amish look. For a more manicured finish, shave your neck below the Adam's apple. Even if your voluminous beard hangs over it, you’ll avoid patchy undergrowth.
Shaving the mustache is a non-negotiable for Amish bearded men, as this tradition dates back hundreds of years. So, if you keep your mustache, it takes it from an Amish beard to just… a beard.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Barry Hairston
Professional Barber

Expert Interview} Don’t keep a mustache, a soul patch, or anything above the lip, and instead focus on shaved cheeks, a shaven neck, and growing a beard of an admirable length.^{[6]
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Beard oil can help keep the hair soft, shiny, and healthy. It also helps keep a well-groomed and neat appearance, although you’ll want to walk a fine line as Amish men don’t keep their beards according to style standards. Use a scissor-comb combo to thin out the beard if it becomes too unruly, but make sure it’s not too manicured.

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FAQs

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What happens if a married man can’t grow a beard? The important part of this Amish tradition is that the man stops shaving his face once he gets married. It doesn’t matter how much the beard hair actually grows. Some Amish men can grow thicker facial hair than others, and it’s perfectly fine to have a thin or patchy beard.
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What happens if he gets divorced or becomes a widower? The Amish do not believe in divorce at all. However, if an Amish man’s wife passes away, he keeps his beard–their belief is that the marriage doesn’t end if one person dies. Plus, beards also symbolize maturity and manhood, and a man doesn’t lose these things when his wife dies.