Beck
Usually a name for someone who lived by a small stream or beck.
The #328 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 3,292 Americans shares it.
Etymology
In English and northern dialects, beck means a small stream or brook, from Old Norse bekkr and related forms. As a surname, Beck most often began as a topographic name for someone living near such a stream. In German, however, Beck can also be occupational, from a word for baker.
History
In England, Beck is especially associated with northern and northern Midland dialect areas where beck was a common word for a stream. The same surname form also arose independently in German-speaking areas from the occupational word for baker, so modern bearers may have unrelated family origins. Historical spellings and related surnames include Becke, Becke, Beckett, and A'Becket, though some of these are separate names or later developments.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname Beck can come from two completely different words: a brook in English and a baker in German.
From the historical record
“BEAUMONT (Fr.) see Beaumont in Diet. ' BECK (Ger.) Baker [Dial. Ger. Jec*, M.H.Ger. becke,0.ii.Gev.becko] BECKER (Ger.) Baker [Ger. backer, M^H.Ger. ' becket] BEHREND (Ger.) Bear [f. O.Ger. Berin (with added -d), a dim. form of O.H.Ger. bero, ^ bear]”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)Notable people named Beck
- Jeff Beck (1944–2023)
- Ulrich Beck (1944–2015)
- Ludwig Beck (1880–1944)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.