Explore the Family Name Behm
The meaning of Behm
German: variant of Boehm and, in North America, (also) an altered form of this. Until the late 17th century this was the usual form of the name, the -o- spelling becoming the more frequent after that time.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Behm in the United States?
The popularity of the surname Behm, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, has seen a minor decrease over the decade between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 7051 in popularity but dropped to 7443 in 2010, representing a 5.56% decrease. However, the actual count of people with this surname increased slightly from 4375 in 2000 to 4476 in 2010 – a rise of 2.31%. The proportion per 100k also saw a small drop of 6.17%, going down from 1.62 to 1.52.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,051 | #7,443 | -5.56% |
| Count | 4,375 | 4,476 | 2.31% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.62 | 1.52 | -6.17% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Behm
Concerning its ethnic identity, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the largest proportion of individuals with the Behm surname identify as White, although this percentage decreased from 97.55 in 2000 to 95.82 in 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as Hispanic showed the most significant increase, rising by 83.93% from 1.12 in 2000 to 2.06 in 2010. Other ethnic identities such as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw increases of 40.00%, 56.52%, and 81.25% respectively. Those identifying with two or more races also rose from 0.64 in 2000 to 1.05 in 2010, marking an increase of 64.06%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.55% | 95.82% | -1.77% |
| Hispanic | 1.12% | 2.06% | 83.93% |
| Two or More Races | 0.64% | 1.05% | 64.06% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.3% | 0.42% | 40% |
| Black | 0.23% | 0.36% | 56.52% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.16% | 0.29% | 81.25% |
Behm ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Behm is French & German, which comprises 37.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (27.8%) and Eastern European (13.3%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 37.7% |
| British & Irish | 27.8% |
| Eastern European | 13.3% |
| Other | 21.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Behm
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Behm have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 66.90% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 66.90% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 66.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 66.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 66.10% |
What Behm haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Behm is R-P312, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P312 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z58 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Fromm, Eriksen, Johansson, Bartels, Nord, Iversen, Holtz, Bergquist, Schott, Carlsen.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Behm surname are: H1, N, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Behm have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Behm" Surname 43.2%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Behm" Surname 15.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Behm" Surname 24.5%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Behm" Surname 18.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Behm?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Behm are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition