Explore the Family Name Overbeck

The meaning of Overbeck

1. North German: topographic name for someone who lived ‘on the other side of the stream’, from Middle Low German over ‘over, across’ + beke ‘stream’, or a habitational name from any of several places called Overbeck in Westphalia. Compare Averbeck. 2. Dutch: variant, mostly archaic or Americanized, of Overbeek. 3. Danish and Norwegian: habitational name for a farm name meaning ‘across/above the creek’ (compare 1 above). 4. English: topographic name, apparently from Middle English over ‘upper, higher’ or ‘above’ (Old English uferra or ofer) + beck (Old Scandinavian bekkr ‘beck, stream’), hence cognate with 1 above. However, it is very likely that the English surname is extinct and that the modern bearers, practically confined to Fulham in 1881, are of Dutch origin (compare 2 above).

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Overbeck in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Overbeck witnessed a decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. Ranked 14,920th in 2000, its rank dropped to 17,127th in 2010, marking a negative change of 14.79%. The number of people with the Overbeck surname also decreased from 1,820 in 2000 to 1,656 in 2010, a decline of 9.01%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals named Overbeck per 100,000 residents fell by 16.42%, from 0.67 to 0.56.

20002010Change
Rank#14,920#17,127-14.79%
Count1,8201,656-9.01%
Proportion per 100k0.670.56-16.42%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Overbeck

In terms of ethnicity, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, there was a notable shift in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Overbeck between 2000 and 2010. Those identifying as White decreased from 98.35% in 2000 to 96.32% in 2010, a reduction of 2.06%. However, those who identified as belonging to two or more races increased from 0.44% to 1.09%, a significant increase of 147.73%. The Hispanic representation also saw a substantial rise of 131.67%, moving from 0.60% to 1.39%. Furthermore, for the first time in 2010, individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Black were recorded under the Overbeck surname, despite being absent from the 2000 Census data. Lastly, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw a modest increase of 11.11%, from 0.27% in 2000 to 0.30% in 2010.

20002010Change
White98.35%96.32%-2.06%
Hispanic0.6%1.39%131.67%
Two or More Races0.44%1.09%147.73%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0.48%0%
Black0%0.42%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.27%0.3%11.11%