Explore the Family Name Balkema
The meaning of Balkema
Dutch (mainly Groningen): 1. patronymic, formed with the Frisian suffix -ma ‘(one of the) men of’, from the personal name Balke, a pet form of Bal. 2. nickname for a carpenter, from balk ‘beam’ (see Balk), composed with the same Frisian suffix as in 1 above. 3. habitational name for someone from the hamlet Balk near Grotegast, the village Balk in Gaasterland, Balkbrug (Ooststellingwerf), or Balkend (Leeuwarderadeel).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Balkema in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Balkema has shown a slight increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. Ranked at 55,732nd popular in 2000, it moved up to 55,121st in 2010, marking a 1.1% increase. The count of people with this last name also saw an upward movement, increasing by 8.43%. However, the proportion per 100k remained constant at 0.13.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #55,732 | #55,121 | 1.1% |
| Count | 344 | 373 | 8.43% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Balkema
From an ethnic perspective, according to the Decennial U.S. Census, the majority of individuals with the Balkema surname identified as White in both 2000 and 2010, although there was a slight decrease of 1.73% over this period. The percentage of those identifying as Hispanic fell by 22.99%, while the number of people with more than one ethnicity increased slightly. In 2010, some Balkemas began identifying with two or more races, marking a change from 2000 when none did. There were no people with this surname who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native during these years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.67% | 95.98% | -1.73% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.61% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 1.74% | 1.34% | -22.99% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |