Bech History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany-Alt
Germany

Nestled between the Rhine and Wesser rivers is the ancient German region of Westphalia. Westphalia, the home of the name Bech. Hereditary surnames were adopted in this region after the 12th century, and surnames were derived from localities were common. Local surnames originally denoted the proprietorship of the village or estate. When coupled with the German preposition von, which means from or of, local names can indicate that the initial bearer of the name was an aristocrat. The Bech family originally lived in northern or southern Germany.

In the north, the name was derived from the German word "bach" or "beke" which mean "stream," meaning the original bearer of this surname lived by a stream or a brook.

To the south, the name was an occupational name for a "baker."1 As a baker, or perhaps the son of one, he held a unique position in the village and could afford an oven for which the primary activity was using that oven to make bread, perhaps often baking dough brought to him by other town folk who did not have access to an oven.

Early Origins of the Bech family

The surname Bech was first found in Westphalia, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as that of a notable family in the region. German archives include a document from as early as the year 1245 wherein is mentioned one Simon Bek, who was then a citizen of Leipzig.

Early History of the Bech family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bech research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1489, 1676, 1722, 1731, 1757, 1761, 1780, 1809, 1832 and 1840 are included under the topic Early Bech History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bech Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Bech include Beck, Bech, Bech, Beche, Becke, Bec, Becce and many more.

Early Notables of the Bech family

Notables of the period with the name Bech were Johann Georg Beck or Johann Georg Baek (1676-1722), a German engraver; Christian Daniel Beck (1757-1832), who was a well-known scholar of Latin and Greek; Jakob Sigismund Beck (1761-1840) was a Danzig-born philosopher known for his interpretation of Kant. Franz Beck, born at...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bech Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bech migration to the United States +

Many Germans emigrated across the Atlantic to seek better lives in North America. This great migration began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century. Resettlement was particularly attractive to those from Westphalia as a means of escape from poverty and religious persecution. For many Westphalian farmers, the chance to own one's own land was also a major incentive. The process of the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlements centered around Ontario and the Prairie provinces. Among them were:

Bech Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Joh Nickel Bech, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754 2

Bech Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Adelgunde Bech, aged 40, who settled in America, in 1892
Anthon Bech, aged 39, who landed in America, in 1892
Carl A.R. Bech, aged 48, who immigrated to the United States, in 1896

Bech Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Ernestina Bech, aged 16, who settled in America from Katyna, Austria, in 1907
Elsbeta Bech, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States from Erlebrunn, Germany, in 1910
Conrad Wm. Bech, aged 42, who settled in America from Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1911
Charles Bech, aged 45, who landed in America, in 1913
Anine Kristine Bech, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States from Ersler, Denmark, in 1913
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bech (post 1700) +

Toppen Bech (1939-2024), Norwegian journalist
Joseph Bech (1887-1975), Luxembourg politician, 15th Prime Minister of Luxembourg
Uffe Manich Bech (b. 1993), Danish footballer
Poul Erik Bech (b. 1938), former Danish football manager
Poul Anker Bech (1942-2009), Danish painter
Jerome Bech (b. 1970), Dutch artist
Lili Bech (1883-1939), Danish silent film actress who appeared in 27 films
Troels Bech (b. 1966), Danish football manager and a former player
Jesper Bech (b. 1982), Danish professional footballer
Pia Bech Mathiesen (1962-2016), Danish designer and entrepreneur

Citations +

Bahlow, Hans, Dictionary of German Names. translated by Edda Gentry, Wisconsin: The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, 2002. Print. (ISBN 0-924119-35-7)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)