Explore the Family Name Beams
The meaning of Beams
English (of Norman origin): variant of Beamish.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Beams in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Beams slightly decreased between 2000 and 2010. The ranking of the name moved from 17,134th place in the year 2000 to 17,142nd place in 2010, a small change of -0.05. However, the count, meaning the number of individuals carrying the surname, increased by about 8.25 percent during this period, moving up from 1,527 to 1,653. The proportion of people named Beams per 100,000 also saw a modest decrease of -1.75, indicating that while the absolute number of people with this surname rose, its relative popularity declined slightly.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #17,134 | #17,142 | -0.05% |
| Count | 1,527 | 1,653 | 8.25% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.57 | 0.56 | -1.75% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Beams
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides an insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Beams. Between 2000 and 2010, there was a significant increase in the proportion of individuals with this surname identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (up by 97.83%) and those claiming two or more races (up by 143.29%). The percentage of people with the Beams surname who identified as White decreased by -5.08%, while there was an increase in Black identifiers by 69.83%. There was a minor increase among those who identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native (up by 8.58%). Meanwhile, the Hispanic category witnessed a drop by -19.05% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.7% | 86.09% | -5.08% |
| Black | 2.42% | 4.11% | 69.83% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 3.73% | 4.05% | 8.58% |
| Two or More Races | 1.64% | 3.99% | 143.29% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.46% | 0.91% | 97.83% |
| Hispanic | 1.05% | 0.85% | -19.05% |