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

Beckem, 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 Beckem surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beckem in America

Beckem is the 158432nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beckem surname appeared 102 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 Beckem.

The history of the last name Beckem

The surname BECKEM has its origins in the German language and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from the region of present-day northern Germany, particularly the areas around the cities of Hamburg and Bremen.

The name is thought to have derived from an Old German word meaning "small stream" or "brook", possibly referring to a person who lived near or worked with a small body of water. Some linguists also suggest that it could be related to the Old German word "bek", meaning "valley" or "small depression".

Historical records show that the name BECKEM appeared in various forms in the 13th and 14th centuries. It was often spelled as "Beckem", "Beckhem", or "Bekkem" in medieval German manuscripts and local documents. However, no definitive mention of the name has been found in major historical sources like the Domesday Book.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname BECKEM was Johannes Beckem, a merchant from Lübeck, who lived in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was Hildegard Beckem, a nun and herbalist from Cologne, who lived in the 15th century and authored a manuscript on medicinal plants.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the BECKEM surname spread across various regions of Germany, and some bearers of the name migrated to other parts of Europe. One prominent individual was Hans Beckem (1550-1624), a German goldsmith and engraver known for his intricate metalwork.

In the 18th century, Johann Friedrich Beckem (1735-1811) was a respected German philosopher and educator who wrote extensively on ethics and moral philosophy. Another notable figure was Catharina Beckem (1768-1824), a German painter and illustrator renowned for her portraits and landscapes.

As people with the surname BECKEM spread across Europe and later to other parts of the world, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as "Beckem", "Beckmann", and "Beckman". However, the original German spelling of "BECKEM" remained prevalent in many regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beckem

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

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

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

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