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

Beames, 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 Beames surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beames in America

Beames is the 55255th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beames surname appeared 372 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 Beames.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beames 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 Beames

The surname Beames is of English origin and can be traced back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "beam," which referred to a tree trunk or a wooden beam used in construction. This name was likely adopted as a surname by someone who lived near a prominent beam or worked as a carpenter or woodworker.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Beames can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1327, where a John Beme is mentioned. The variant spelling "Beme" was common in those times, as the modern spelling of surnames was not standardized until much later.

In the 15th century, the name appears in several historical records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1428, which mentions a William Beme. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1470 also list a Thomas Beame, indicating the gradual transition towards the modern spelling.

The name Beames has been found in various places across England, particularly in the counties of Cambridgeshire, Essex, and Worcestershire, where it was likely first adopted. Some early bearers of the name were associated with specific locations, such as John de Beam, who is recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1255.

Among the notable historical figures with the surname Beames are:

1. Richard Beames (c. 1550-1625), an English clergyman and author known for his work on rhetoric.
2. John Beames (1608-1683), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament.
3. Thomas Beames (1705-1768), a British naval officer who participated in several significant battles during the War of the Austrian Succession.
4. William Beames (1785-1854), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.
5. John Beames (1795-1871), a British civil servant and scholar who served as a judge in India and made significant contributions to the study of Indian law and linguistics.

While the Beames surname may not have been as widespread as some others, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, lawyers, naval officers, architects, and scholars.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beames

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

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

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

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