Becker Last Name Meaning

The surname Becker, which ranks 8th among most common German last names, has several possible origins:

1. From the German "becker," meaning baker, or one who bakes bread.
2. One who created wooden vessels such as cups, mugs, and pitchers, derived from Middle High German becher, meaning "cup or goblet," from Greek bikos, meaning "pot or pitcher."
3. A derivative of the Old English becca meaning "mattock" - used to denote a maker or user of mattocks, digging tools with a flat blade set at right angles to the handle.

Surname Distribution

Today, the Becker surname is by far most commonly found in Germany, followed by Luxembourg, and then the United States and Canada according to the World Names Public Profiler. Within Germany, the Becker surname is most prevalent in the Saarland region, followed by Rheinland-Pfalz, Hessen and Nordrhein-Westfalen.

Because most last names originate in multiple areas, the best way to learn more about your Becker last name is to research your own specific family history. If you are new to genealogy, try these steps to begin tracing your family tree.

Surname Origin: German, English

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Alternate Surname Spellings: BAECKER, BEKKER, BECKERDITE, BUCHER

Famous People With the BECKER Last Name

• Howard S. Becker: American sociologist
• Paula Modersohn-Becker: German expressionist painter
• Aaron Becker: American children's book author
• Boris Becker: Former German tennis star

Genealogy Resources for the BECKER Last Name

The Bucher, Beecher, Becker, etc. DNA Project
This Y-DNA testing project is open to all families with the Becker last name and variations (B260 soundex surnames), from all locations. The purpose of the project is to help members use a combination of yDNA testing, paper trails, and additional research to identify common Becker ancestors.

BECKER Family Genealogy Forum
Search this popular genealogy forum for the Becker last name to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Becker query.

FamilySearch - BECKER Genealogy
Search and access records, queries, and lineage-linked online family trees posted for the Becker surname and its variations. FamilySearch features over 2.5 million results for the Becker last name.

References: Surname Meanings & Origins

Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.

Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.

Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.

Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.