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

Beam, 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 Beam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beam in America

Beam is the 2584th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beam surname appeared 13,972 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Beam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beam 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 Beam

The surname BEAM has its origins in England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "beam," which referred to a tree trunk or a beam of wood used for construction purposes. This connection suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname given to those who worked with beams, such as carpenters or builders.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BEAM can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where it is listed as "William Beam." This document provides evidence of the surname's existence in medieval England. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a John Beam in the county of Oxfordshire.

The surname BEAM has also been associated with various place names across England. For example, there are villages called Beam in Worcestershire and Beam Hills in Somerset, both of which may have influenced the formation of the surname. Furthermore, variations in spelling, such as Beame, Beame, and Beams, were common during the Middle Ages.

Several notable individuals have borne the surname BEAM throughout history. One of the earliest recorded persons with this name was William Beam (c. 1500-1567), an English clergyman who served as Archdeacon of Berkshire in the 16th century. Another prominent figure was Joseph Beam (1654-1717), a Quaker minister and author from Pennsylvania who played a significant role in the early history of the state.

During the 18th century, Jacob Beam (1734-1808) was a prominent American farmer and distiller who founded the Beam family's bourbon whiskey business in Kentucky. His grandson, David Beam (1802-1873), continued the family legacy and established the David Beam Bourbon brand.

In more recent times, notable individuals with the surname BEAM include Walter Beam (1913-2006), an American baseball player who played for the Boston Red Sox in the 1930s, and C. Clifford Beam (1923-2010), a United States Air Force general who served during the Vietnam War.

These examples demonstrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds associated with the surname BEAM, which has been carried by individuals from various walks of life over the centuries, spanning various professions, locations, and time periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beam

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

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 Beam 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 Beam 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 Beam was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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