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

Behmke, 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 Behmke surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Behmke in America

Behmke is the 104156th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Behmke surname appeared 172 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 Behmke.

We can also compare 2010 data for Behmke 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 Behmke

The surname BEHMKE is of German origin and can be traced back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around the city of Hamburg and the state of Schleswig-Holstein. The name is likely derived from the Low German word "behmen," which means "to adorn" or "to decorate," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have been involved in craft or decorative trades.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BEHMKE name can be found in the parish records of St. Petri Church in Hamburg, where a certain Hans Behmke was mentioned in 1537. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region by the mid-16th century. Another early reference appears in the town records of Lübeck, where a merchant named Claus Behmke was noted in 1592.

The BEHMKE name has also been linked to various place names in northern Germany. For example, there is a village called Behmke in the district of Stade, which may have played a role in the establishment of the surname. Additionally, variations in spelling, such as "Behmcke" and "Behmk," were common in historical records, reflecting the fluidity of naming conventions in earlier times.

Among notable individuals with the BEHMKE surname, one can mention Johann Behmke (1603-1679), a Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Rostock, who authored several religious texts. Another notable figure was Friedrich Behmke (1785-1856), a German painter and engraver known for his landscapes and portraits.

In the 19th century, the BEHMKE name gained broader recognition with the birth of Emil Behmke (1859-1932), a German gymnast and educator who pioneered the development of gymnastics as a form of physical education. His teachings and writings had a significant impact on the popularization of gymnastics in Germany and beyond.

Another notable individual was Hans Behmke (1895-1981), a German military officer who served in both World Wars and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his service during World War II.

Lastly, it is worth mentioning Ulrich Behmke (1927-2001), a German businessman and entrepreneur who founded the successful IT company Behmke & Keuthen, which became a leading provider of computer hardware and software in Germany during the latter half of the 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Behmke

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

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

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

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