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

Beem, 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 Beem surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beem in America

Beem is the 15250th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beem surname appeared 1,928 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Beem.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beem 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 Beem

The surname BEEM is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire. The name is derived from the Old English word "beam," meaning a tree or a beam of wood, suggesting that the first bearers of this surname may have lived near a prominent tree or forest area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BEEM can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1297, which lists a John de Beam. This suggests that the name was initially spelled with an "a" instead of the later "ee" spelling. Another early reference is in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield from 1315, which mentions a William del Beme.

In the 16th century, the BEEM surname appears in various historical records, such as the Parish Registers of Lincolnshire, where a Robert Beeme is recorded in 1567. During this period, the spelling of the name became more standardized, with the "ee" variation becoming more common.

Notable individuals with the surname BEEM throughout history include:

1. Sir William Beem (1565-1632), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for the borough of Hastings in 1628.
2. John Beem (1710-1785), a British soldier who fought in the French and Indian War and later settled in Virginia, United States.
3. Elizabeth Beem (1782-1858), an American educator and pioneer in women's education, who founded the Beem Seminary for Young Ladies in Pennsylvania in 1818.
4. Henry Beem (1828-1909), a German-born American businessman and philanthropist, who made significant contributions to the development of the city of Cincinnati, Ohio.
5. Walter Beem (1892-1976), an American artist and illustrator known for his paintings of rural life and landscapes.

The BEEM surname has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout England, such as Beamish in County Durham, which derives from the Old English words "beam" and "iscas," meaning "beam meadows." Additionally, the village of Beamsley in North Yorkshire may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in certain regions.

While the BEEM surname is not among the most common surnames in England or other parts of the world, it has a rich history and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beem

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!