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

Behe, 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 Behe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Behe in America

Behe is the 51610th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Behe surname appeared 403 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 Behe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Behe 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 Behe

The surname Behe originated in Germany in the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "behe," which means "alert" or "vigilant." The name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who was particularly watchful or observant.

The earliest known record of the surname Behe dates back to 1532 in the town of Augsburg, where a certain Johann Behe was mentioned in a local church register. Another early reference can be found in a 1549 land deed from the village of Kirchheim, which mentions a farmer named Christoph Behe.

In the 17th century, the name Behe appeared in various parts of southern Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. During this time, spelling variations such as Beha, Behee, and Behen were also common.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Behe was Hans Behe (1590-1658), a noted clockmaker from the town of Schaffhausen in present-day Switzerland. His intricate and ornate timepieces were highly prized by the wealthy citizens of the region.

Another historical figure with this surname was Johann Behe (1673-1744), a Lutheran theologian and author from Nuremberg. He wrote several influential treatises on biblical interpretation and was widely respected for his scholarly work.

In the 18th century, the name Behe spread to other parts of Europe, including France and the Netherlands. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Marie-Louise Behe (1724-1798), a French painter known for her portraits of the aristocracy.

As the 19th century approached, the Behe surname also appeared in records from parts of Eastern Europe, particularly in the regions that are now Poland and Ukraine. This may have been due to migration or the influence of German settlers in those areas.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Behe was the German philosopher and writer Michael Behe (1800-1875), whose works on ethics and morality were widely studied and debated during his lifetime.

Throughout its long history, the Behe surname has maintained a strong presence in various parts of Europe, particularly in Germany and the surrounding regions. While not as widespread as some other surnames, it has been carried on by numerous notable individuals over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Behe

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

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

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

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