Where did the German Beck family come from? What is the German coat of arms/family crest? When did the Beck family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the history of the family name?
The German states were home to a diverse assortment of national groups during the medieval era. As a consequence, German surnames were subject to frequent spelling alterations and are distinguished by scores of regional variations. Surnames also evolved and changed with the German language, which was characterized by a multitude of local dialects and divided into the broad language groups of High and Low German. High German became the standard, Modern German language, whereas Low German, which was spoken in Westphalia, is closer to Dutch. Many German surnames may be recognized as belonging to a particular region by their suffixes. It was also common in Germany to add phrases to a name to express something about a person's place of origin, religious background, or character. Furthermore, since very few people were literate in the Middle Ages, names were often recorded in official documents by scribes who transcribed them according to how they sounded, rather than according to uniform spelling rules. The many spelling variations of the name Beck include Beck, Bech, Bech, Beche, Becke, Bec, Becce and many more.
First found in Westphalia, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as that of a notable family in the region.
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. Abraham Beck, who came to Philadelphia in 1751; Christian Beck, age 40; arrived in Texas in 1846; Jacob Beck settled in Philadelphia in 1738; Johann Beck, age 27.
Suggested Readings for the name Beck
* The Anton and Rosina Koenig Beck Family and Their Descendants 1844-1979 by Lillie Beck Wasserman.
* The Beck-Reinemer Family Tree by Mrs. Clarence Beck.
Some noteworthy people of the name Beck
* Aaron Temkin Beck (b. 1921), American psychiatrist, professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, known as the father of cognitive therapy.
* Dave Beck (1894-1993), American labor leader, president of the Teamsters (1952-1957)
* Kimberly Beck (b. 1956), American actress.
* Christian Daniel Beck (1757-1832), German philologist, historian, theologian and antiquarian
* Ludwig Beck (1880-1944), German General, Chief of Staff of the German armed forces (1935–38), who commited suicide following his role in the unsuccessful attempt on Hitler's life
* Adam Beck (1857-1925), industrialist and German-Canadian government official, who was knighted by King George V in 1914 for distinguished service
* Sir Adam Beck (1857-1925), Canadian politician and hydro-electricity advocate, who made Ontario one of the first places in the world to benefit from hydro-electric power
* George Andrew Beck (1904-1978), English Roman Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool (1964-1976)
* Jeff Beck (b. 1944), English electric guitarist
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