English: from Old English beam ‘beam’, ‘post’, a term
with various applications. It denoted the beam of a loom and was
therefore in some cases a metonymic occupational name for a weaver. In
others it was a topographic name for someone who lived by a post or
tree, or by a footbridge made from a tree trunk.
Americanized form of German Boehm, or sometimes of
Baum.
Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
Start your FREE family tree. Who will you discover?
A family tree is the easiest way to start discovering your family history. To begin, just enter whatever you know and we'll use that to try and find more information for you.
Begin your family tree with your name:
The beam name in History
A unique volume of fascinating facts, statistics and commentary following the beam family name as far back in history as possible.
Member Connections
Anonymously contact one of the Ancestry members researching the beam last name.