2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Beesmer
An English surname derived from a geographical place name or location with the element "beesmer".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Beesmer. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Beesmer surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Beesmer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Beesmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Beesmer
The surname BEESMER is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, where it was likely derived from a place name or a descriptive nickname.
One theory suggests that BEESMER is a variant of the Old English word "beosmor," which means "beekeeper." This could indicate that the earliest bearers of the name were involved in the keeping and cultivation of bees, a vital industry in medieval England.
Another possible origin is that BEESMER is a combination of the Old English words "beos" and "mere," meaning "bee" and "lake" or "pool," respectively. This could suggest that the name originated from a location near a body of water where bees were abundant.
The earliest recorded appearance of the name BEESMER can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 13th century, where a Robert de Beesmer is listed as a taxpayer. This indicates that the name was already established in the region by that time.
In the 14th century, the BEESMER name appears in the Court Rolls of Wakefield, a town in West Yorkshire, where a John Beesmer is mentioned as a landowner. This provides evidence of the family's presence in the area during that period.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Thomas Beesmer (1550-1621) was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of York. He was known for his successful trade ventures and philanthropic efforts within the community.
During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain William Beesmer (1610-1679) served in the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He was recognized for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
In the 18th century, a renowned botanist named John Beesmer (1725-1795) made significant contributions to the study of plants and their classification. His extensive research and published works earned him respect among the scientific community of the time.
The 19th century saw the birth of Alfred Beesmer (1848-1922), a prolific writer and journalist who covered various topics ranging from politics to social issues. His insightful articles were widely read and appreciated by the public.
By the late 19th century, the BEESMER name had spread beyond Yorkshire, with families bearing the surname found in other parts of England, as well as in Scotland and Wales, reflecting the migration patterns of the time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Beesmer
Among Census respondents with the surname Beesmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Beesmer bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Beesmer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.3% · 110
- Two or more races2.7% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Beesmer
Beesmer appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#128,249
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
+11 bearers (+9.0%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 548 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-20 bearers (-15.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,972 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #128,249 | 133 | 0.05 | +11 bearers (+9.0%) | Up 548 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -20 bearers (-15.0%) | Down 18,972 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Beesmer surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #128,249 | #147,221 | -14.8% |
| Count | 133 | 113 | -15.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -24.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Beesmer bearers went from 133 to 113 (-15.0% change). The surname moved down 18,972 positions in the national ranking, going from #128,249 to #147,221.
FAQ
Beesmer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Beesmer?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Beesmer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Beesmer?
Beesmer ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Beesmer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Beesmer.
Has Beesmer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Beesmer went from 133 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 20 (-15.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #128,249 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Beesmer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Beesmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Beesmer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.3% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Beesmer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.3%), Two or More Races (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Beesmer (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Beesmer mean?
An English surname derived from a geographical place name or location with the element "beesmer". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Beesmer (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Beesmer?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the last name Beesmer at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.