Surname Beeck - Meaning and Origin
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Beeck: What does the surname Beeck mean?
The last name Beeck is of Dutch/German origin, with the earliest records of this name being from the early 16th century in Holland, during the Dutch Golden Age.
The name Beeck is derived from the old Dutch word “beek”, meaning stream or brook associated with a valley or depression in the landscape. This has resulted in Beeck being associated with geographical locations such as a particular valley or brook as the case may be.
The earliest recorded persons to carry the name “Beeck” are the brothers, Jan and Louwrens de Beecque – both of whom were recorded in the 1566 Gelderland census.
Today, the Beeck surname is predominantly found in the Netherlands, Germany, and, to a lesser extent, in North America.
Descriptively, Beeck is one of those surnames that are ‘multi-purpose’ – having been associated with both streams and valleys, but also with dwellers in such places. But, what is certain is that it’s attractive to modern families as they continue to give more thought to how their last name represents them and conveys a lasting meaning to future generations.
Order DNA origin analysisBeeck: Where does the name Beeck come from?
The last name Beeck is most commonly found in Germany today. According to Germany's Telephone Directory service, Gesellschaft für den Telefon- und Adressbuchdienst, it is among the top 10,000 last names.
Beeck is quite an old name in Germany. Records of its first usage go back to the 17th century in important families of Paderborn and in the Prussian area of Westphalia. A Baron family Beeck originated in the 15th century in Hungary and slowly spread around Germany, where, eventually, members of the Beeck family were appointed to higher positions in the business and financial structure of the country.
Nowadays, Beeck is present in many other European countries, such as France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, as well as some African countries like Cameroon. In the United States, Beeck is not a very common name. Nevertheless, there are a few dozen with the last name Beeck living in the US, mainly on the East Coast.
In summary, the last name Beeck is still quite common in Germany and spread around Europe, and to a lesser extent, in the United States. People with this name have strong roots in different regions of the world, especially the German-speaking community.
Variations of the surname Beeck
Beeck is a surname of Dutch or German origin. The name is often spelled as ‘Beek’, ‘Beke’, ‘Beake’, ‘Beecks’, ‘Beakes’, or ‘Beecken’ and is derived from the Dutch walbeek or the German Bach meaning ‘stream’ or ‘brook’.
Beek is the most common variant spelling of Beeck and is also the most common form of the name found in the Netherlands today. The name is generally associated with small streams or brooks, and more specifically the topography of the areas near the streams. In some instances, the name may also be derived from the word beuk meaning ‘beech tree’ and represents a person living in a beech forest or near a beech tree.
The versions Beke and Beake are variations from the original name Beeck but keep the same meaning and generally indicate being from Beke in East Flanders, Belgium. Beecks is a variation of the original Beek or Beeck but is usually in reference to a Dutchman living near a stream or brook.
Beakes and Beecken are related surnames that are found more in the Southern portions of the Netherlands or German regions across the border. It is believed to be a local variation of the original name Beeck or Beek.
All of the above mentioned surnames retain the same basic meaning and are all believed to be derived from living or originating near a small stream or brook. No matter how the name is spelled, if a person is of Dutch or German descent their surname may just be a variation of Beeck.
Famous people with the name Beeck
- Jeroen van der Beek: American actor best-known for his role as the lovable stoner in the hit show “Dawson’s Creek”
- Dina van der Beek: fashion designer who is the winner of a Dutch fashion award.
- Marcel Beeck: Dutch painter known for his portrait and landscape paintings in watercolor and oil.
- Godfried van der Beek: Dutch entomologist who specialized in the order of Hymenoptera.
- Peter van der Beek: Dutch professional football player who currently plays for the Dutch Club Team Eredivisie.
- William van der Beek: Dutch fashion designer and interior decorator.
- Pieter van der Beek: Dutch professional tennis player who has won several national tournaments in the Netherlands.
- Herman van der Beek: Dutch former professional golfer who won several tournaments on the European Tour.
- Corry Beeck: Dutch high jumper who competed in the 1960 Rome Olympic Games.
- Joost van der Beek: Dutch jazz guitarist, composer and producer.