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

Behrman, 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 Behrman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Behrman in America

Behrman is the 21811th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Behrman surname appeared 1,192 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 Behrman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Behrman 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 Behrman

The surname Behrman is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the German word "Behr," which means "bear," and the suffix "-man," indicating a person. Thus, the name likely referred to someone who was associated with bears, perhaps a hunter or a person with a strong, bear-like physique.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Behrman can be found in the records of the city of Nuremberg, Germany, in the 15th century. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Behrmann," "Bereman," and "Bermann," reflecting the variations in scribal practices of the time.

In the 16th century, the Behrman name gained prominence in the region of Saxony, particularly in the towns of Leipzig and Dresden. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Johann Behrman (1587-1648), a prominent merchant and city councilor in Leipzig, and Hans Behrman (1610-1679), a respected architect who contributed to the rebuilding of Dresden after the Thirty Years' War.

As the name spread across German-speaking regions, it also found its way into historical records in neighboring countries. For instance, in the 17th century, there are records of a Behrman family residing in the Dutch city of Amsterdam, where they were engaged in the textile trade.

One of the most renowned individuals with the Behrman surname was Martin Behrman (1864-1926), a prominent politician who served as the mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, from 1904 to 1920. His legacy includes significant infrastructure developments and the establishment of the city's public library system.

Another notable figure was Walter Behrman (1914-1972), an American author and playwright who wrote several successful Broadway plays, including "The Cold Wind and the Warm" and "The Heiress."

In the realm of academia, Friedrich Behrman (1891-1957) was a distinguished German philosopher and educator who taught at various universities in Germany and the United States, contributing to the fields of phenomenology and existentialism.

While the surname Behrman has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by generations of emigrants and their descendants. The name continues to be a testament to the rich tapestry of cultural heritage and the diverse origins of surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Behrman

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

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

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

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