Surname Becht - Meaning and Origin
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Becht: What does the surname Becht mean?
The last name Becht is of German origin. It is derived from the Middle High German word “beht” or “bäch” which means a beech tree. Therefore, this surname refers to a person who lived near or on a beech tree.
It is believed that Becht surname arrived in Germany from France, particularly with the Frankish tribes during the migration of Germanic peoples. The popularity of this name then spread to many areas of Europe, including the Netherlands, Austria, and Italy.
The modern variation of the name Becht includes Bechtel, Bechtl, and Bechtle. It is a common name around the world, with over 12,000 people having it, particularly in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, and France.
The Becht family name is found to have associated with a number of influential people throughout history, such as William Becht, a 19th-century American surveyor, and Catherine Becht, a prominent early American settlers.
The Becht family name is a powerful and common one, and its unique meaning provides a great insight into the history of a family.
Order DNA origin analysisBecht: Where does the name Becht come from?
The last name Becht is most commonly found in the countries of Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States.
In Germany, Becht is a relatively widespread name. There are around 2,700 known Becht households in that country, found mostly in the eastern states of Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia. In the Netherlands, a few hundred Bechts are spread across the country, mostly clustered around the province of Gelderland and the nearby cities of Amsterdam and Utrecht.
In the US, the majority of Bechts live either in Pennsylvania or Ohio. Most Bechts in the US can trace their roots back to a single family that arrived in the 18th century from Germany. This founding family eventually gave rise to the many Bechts in the US today.
Comparing the distribution of Bechts with those of related names shows that Becht is a relatively uncommon name. However, the name Becht can still be found in all three countries today. So, no matter where you look, you’ll still find people with the Becht surname in some form or another.
Variations of the surname Becht
The Becht surname is a unique family name that can be found throughout Europe. It is closely related to both German and Dutch roots, with various spellings and variants depending on the country in which it is found.
In Germany, Becht is spelled 'Becht', whereas in the Netherlands, it is spelled 'Becht' or 'Becht'. Variations of the surname can also be found in other European countries such as Austria and Switzerland, where the spelling is 'Becht' or 'Becht'. In Belgium, the surname may be spelled 'Bekht' or 'Beght'.
The most common alternate form of Becht is 'Bärcht', which is typically found in Germany and Austria. The spelling ‘Birkholz’ is another variant form, which may stem from an older Germanized form of the surname. Other German spellings include 'Bechtel', 'Bechthold', 'Bechtle', 'Bechtler' and 'Bechhorn'.
When the surname is found in France, it is typically spelled 'Bech' or 'Bechh'. The French variant is subject to a high degree of phonetic change because of the different pronunciation and usage of language in France. Additionally, in Luxembourg the surname can be spelled 'Bech' or 'Becht'.
In Scotland, the Becht surname is typically found with the variant spelling 'Beachy' or 'Beath'. Both of these spellings are derived from the old English word 'beacen', meaning 'domain', although these spellings could have their own distinct origin, unconnected to Becht.
Overall, the Becht surname is associated with many different spellings and variants throughout Europe. Through examining regional accents, language and dialects, as well as other naming conventions, many of the different variant spellings of the surname can be attributed to the same origin.
Famous people with the name Becht
- Bob Becht: Senior Vice President of Coca-Cola, President of Coca-Cola Africa
- Fiona Becht: Co-host of Impact Radio in the UK
- David Becht: Former President & CEO of Halliburton
- Thomas Becht: President & COO of PerkinElmer Corporation
- Ted Becht: President and co-founder of Video Insight Inc.
- Glen Becht: Former Managing Director of Beacon Capital Corporation
- June Becht: Recording artist from Holland
- John Becht: Former Technical Officer and Pilot for the US Air Force
- Kim Becht: Associate Art Director for CBS Television Distribution, Inc.
- Boris Becht: Founder of Becht Holdings, LLC