Find out how popular the last name Alkema is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Alkema.

Alkema, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Alkema surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alkema in America

Alkema is the 49636th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alkema surname appeared 423 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Alkema.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alkema to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Alkema

The surname Alkema is believed to have originated in the Netherlands, likely during the 16th or 17th century. It is derived from the Dutch word 'alk,' which means 'a type of sea bird,' and 'heem,' meaning 'home' or 'place.' Therefore, the name Alkema likely referred to a place or settlement where these seabirds were found in abundance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alkema can be found in the Dutch province of Friesland, where several families with this surname resided in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is possible that the name originated in this region, which had a strong maritime tradition and was known for its coastal settlements.

While there are no known historical references to the name Alkema in major works or manuscripts, it is worth noting that many Dutch surnames were derived from place names or geographic features during this period. The name may have been associated with a specific village or town, though the exact location is not certain.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Alkema was Jan Alkema, a Dutch merchant who lived in the city of Leeuwarden in the late 17th century. Another notable figure was Pieter Alkema, a writer and poet who was born in Friesland in 1628 and is remembered for his contributions to Dutch literature.

In the 19th century, the name Alkema gained some prominence with the birth of Adriaan Alkema (1813-1887), a Dutch politician and lawyer who served as the Minister of Justice for the Netherlands from 1868 to 1870. His son, Cornelis Alkema (1848-1917), followed in his footsteps and became a respected lawyer and judge.

Another individual of note was Hendrik Alkema (1866-1944), a Dutch architect who designed several notable buildings in Amsterdam and other cities in the Netherlands. His works were influenced by the Dutch Renaissance and Baroque styles, and he is regarded as an important figure in the architectural history of the country.

While the surname Alkema is not as common as some other Dutch surnames, it has a rich history that can be traced back to the coastal regions of the Netherlands and the maritime traditions of that country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alkema

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Alkema.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Alkema was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Alkema has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Alkema was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Alkema, please contact us.

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