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

Bedke, 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 Bedke surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bedke in America

Bedke is the 101737th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bedke surname appeared 177 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 Bedke.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bedke 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 Bedke

The surname Bedke originates from the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, likely from the areas that are now part of modern-day Germany and Switzerland. It is believed to have emerged sometime around the 13th or 14th century.

One of the earliest theories suggests that Bedke is derived from the Old German word "beda," which translates to "prayer" or "plea." This could indicate that the name may have initially referred to a person who was particularly religious or someone who worked in a church or monastery.

Another possibility is that Bedke is a locational surname, meaning it originated from a specific place or region. In this case, it could be linked to the village of Betke or Bettke in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, or perhaps a variation of the town name Bettenhausen, which is located in the state of Hesse.

Historical records show that the Bedke surname appeared in various forms throughout the centuries, with variations such as Bedcke, Betke, Bettke, and Betkke. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Anhaltinus, a collection of historical documents from the former Duchy of Anhalt, dating back to the 13th century.

Among the notable individuals who bore the Bedke surname, there was Johann Bedke, a German theologian and professor who lived in the 16th century. Another prominent figure was Heinrich Bedke, a German lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Reichstag (Imperial Diet) in the late 19th century.

In the realm of literature, the name Bedke is associated with Bernhard Bedke, a German writer and poet who lived in the early 20th century and is known for his works exploring the themes of nature and rural life.

Other noteworthy individuals with the Bedke surname include Wilhelm Bedke, a German architect active in the 19th century, and Hans Bedke, a German soldier who fought in World War II and was awarded the Iron Cross for his bravery.

While the origins of the Bedke surname can be traced back to the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and geographical mobility.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bedke

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

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

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

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