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

Beatham, 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 Beatham surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Beatham in America

Beatham is the 136783rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beatham surname appeared 113 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Beatham.

The history of the last name Beatham

The surname Beatham is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in the United Kingdom. The earliest instances of surnames being recorded in England date back to the aftermath of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, and Beatham appears to be part of this tradition.

Beatham likely derives from a toponymic source, meaning that it originally referred to people who came from a particular place. The name is believed to originate from the village of Beetham in Cumbria, in the north of England. The name of the village itself is thought to derive from Old English elements: "beth" meaning "house" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "village," thus, Beetham essentially means "the homestead by the house."

The earliest recorded use of the surname Beatham in written records appears in historical manuscripts from the 13th century. One of the early records includes a reference to a Robert de Betham in 1272, noted as being in service to the Earl of Lancaster, which links the name to the feudal system prevalent during that time period.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not explicitly mention Beatham, partly because it documents earlier Norman conquests and this surname came into broader use afterward. The first significant compiled record with similar regional relevance is the Subsidy Rolls of taxation records, where the Beatham name appears in various forms due to inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

One notable historical figure with the surname is Sir Robert de Beetham, who lived around the 14th century. He is best known for constructing Beetham Hall, a medieval fortified house in Cumbria. Another significant individual is John Beetham, recorded in the early 15th century as a rector at a local parish in Yorkshire.

In the 16th century, a William Beatham is noted to have been a landowner in Cornwall, indicating the spread of the surname beyond its Cumbrian roots. Edward Beatham, born circa 1630, distinguished himself as a merchant and a member of the early colonial settlements in America, showcasing the migration of the surname to the New World.

Thomas Beatham, a prominent local politician in Lincolnshire, active during the late 18th century, further attests to the establishment of the surname throughout England. By this period, the variants Beetham and Beatham were used interchangeably, reflecting the linguistic shifts over time.

In the 19th century, another notable individual, George Beatham, born 1810, was a noted industrialist who contributed significantly to the development of railways in Northern England. His endeavors are well-documented in industrial histories of the era, emphasizing the surname's continued presence in significant historical contexts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beatham

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Beatham 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.

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

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

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