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

Bekemeyer, 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 Bekemeyer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bekemeyer in America

Bekemeyer is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bekemeyer surname appeared 115 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 Bekemeyer.

The history of the last name Bekemeyer

The surname Bekemeyer originated in Germany, likely emerging during the late medieval period around the 13th or 14th century. It is believed to have derived from a combination of the Low German words "bek" or "beke," meaning a small stream or brook, and "meyer," which referred to a steward or manager of an estate. This suggests that the name may have initially been bestowed upon someone who lived near a small brook or oversaw land or property associated with a brook.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Bekemeyer can be found in the records of the town of Münster, located in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In the 1400s, a man named Johann Bekemeyer was listed as a resident of the city. However, variations in spelling, such as Bekkemeyer or Bekemeier, were common during this time period.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Bekemeyer name appeared in various historical documents and records from different regions of Germany. For instance, in 1587, a man named Hans Bekemeyer was recorded as a citizen of the town of Lemgo, situated in the present-day state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Additionally, in 1629, a certain Peter Bekemeyer was mentioned in the church records of the city of Bremen.

One notable individual bearing the Bekemeyer surname was Johann Beckemeyer (1839-1920), a German-American artist and painter who emigrated to the United States in the late 19th century. He is known for his landscape paintings depicting scenes from the American West and the Rocky Mountains.

Another person of historical significance was Wilhelm Bekemeyer (1872-1956), a German architect and urban planner who was actively involved in the reconstruction efforts in several German cities after World War II. He played a pivotal role in the rebuilding of the city of Cologne, among others.

In the realm of literature, the name Bekemeyer is associated with the German writer and poet Hermann Bekemeyer (1828-1909), who authored several works of poetry and prose during the 19th century. His most notable work was the collection of poems titled "Gedichte" (Poems), published in 1868.

While the Bekemeyer surname may have originated in Germany, it eventually spread to other parts of the world due to migration and immigration. For instance, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several individuals bearing this surname can be found in historical records from the United States, likely descendants of German immigrants who settled in various parts of the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bekemeyer

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

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 Bekemeyer 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.

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

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

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