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

Overpeck, 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 Overpeck surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Overpeck in America

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

The Overpeck 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 Overpeck.

We can also compare 2010 data for Overpeck 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 Overpeck

The surname Overpeck has its origins in the Low German language, tracing back to the region of northern Germany. The name likely emerged during the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is believed to have derived from a topographic name, referring to a place near a small stream or creek that overflowed its banks.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Bremisches Urkundenbuch, a collection of historical documents from the city of Bremen, dating back to the late 15th century. A certain Henneke Overpeek is mentioned in a document from 1489, suggesting the name's presence in that region during that time.

As the name evolved, various spellings emerged, including Overpeck, Overbeck, and Overbecke. These variations likely resulted from regional dialects and the influence of different scribes and record-keepers.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in the records of the city of Osnabrück, with references to an Overpeck family residing in the area. This indicates the gradual spread of the name throughout northern Germany during that period.

One notable figure bearing the surname Overpeck was Hans Overpeck, a merchant and burgher of Lübeck, who lived from approximately 1520 to 1592. He played a significant role in the city's trade and commerce during the Renaissance era.

Another prominent individual was Johann Overpeck, a Lutheran theologian and reformer born in Nuremberg in 1546. He was a prominent figure in the early years of the Protestant Reformation and authored several influential works on theology and doctrine.

In the 17th century, the name Overpeck began to appear in the records of other European countries, likely due to migration and trade. One such instance is found in the archives of the Dutch East India Company, where a certain Pieter Overpeck is listed as a ship's captain in the year 1632.

Moving into the 18th century, the name gained a foothold in the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Johannes Overpeck, a farmer from Berks County, Pennsylvania, who was born in 1715.

Another notable figure from this period was Wilhelm Overpeck, a German-born soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He was born in 1748 and served in the Continental Army under General George Washington.

As the centuries progressed, the Overpeck name continued to spread and establish itself in various parts of the world, with individuals bearing this surname making their mark in various fields and professions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Overpeck

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!