Surname Overbecke - Meaning and Origin

Overbecke: What does the surname Overbecke mean?

The last name Overbecke is believed to be of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German words ‘ofer behk’ which means ‘over brook’ or ‘over stream’. The name may have referred to an ancestor who lived near a small stream or brook, in a location where there was an elevated area nearby, or a bridge situated nearby.

The earliest documented record of the Overbecke surname dates back to the year 1354 in the city of Durbuy, located in Belgium. Here, a man named Jochel gave his name as “Overt dat Becke” which translates to “Over that Brook”.

Today, the Overbecke surname is still quite common in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and is also present in other parts of the world such as the United States.

Those bearing the Overbecke surname are believed to exhibit certain traits, such as loyalty, kindness, strength, creativity, intelligence, and an appreciation for the beauty of nature. This family tree is proud of its origins and often lead lives of hard work, but also enjoy leisure and recreation. They are passionate about education and recognize the importance of learning to understand the world. They are a close knit family who values strong relationships amongst its members.

Overbecke: Where does the name Overbecke come from?

The surname Overbecke is of Dutch origin and is mostly found today in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. It is thought to have originated from the Dutch townships of Overbeck and Overbeke.

The name Overbecke is derived from two elements; the first element being "over", referring to a topographical feature such as a hill or a height; and the second element being "becke", referring to an area of land with meadows or pastures. Therefore, the name Overbecke literally means, "at or on the height of the meadow".

Today, the surname is found mainly around the Dutch regions of Friesland, Groningen, and Gelderland. According to Forebears, the last name is most common in the Netherlands, where it is in position 5,683rd out of 87,892 Dutch surnames. It is also found in Germany, ranked 36,457th out of 93,876 German surnames. And in Belgium, the Overbecke last name is ranked 3,079th out of the total 37,327 surnames in use.

The Overbecke surname returned just five results on the US Social Security Administration's database, suggesting it is rare in the United States, however this data could be incomplete.

In conclusion, the Overbecke surname is most common in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany today.

Variations of the surname Overbecke

Overbecke is a German surname, derived from the Old German elements 'ober' meaning 'upper', and 'beke' meaning 'stream, brook, or a road forded by a stream'. There are a few variants of this surname scattered across Europe. These different spellings include Oberbecke, Oberbeke, Ovberbekke, Swedish Obberbeck, and Dutch Obbereck. These variations are all the result of different cultures and languages adding their own spin on the spellings of the surname. Extremely rare variants of Overbecke include Orback in Scandinavia, Odrebeque in France, and Alvarebeke in The Netherlands.

The most common surnames derived from this root include Oberbeck, Oberbecken, and Obreque. Oberbeck and Oberbecken are derived from the German dialect spoken in northern Germany, while Obreque is derived from the Czech language. Obberback is a Swedish variant that is sometimes exchanged with the German version of Oberbeck.

Besides these variations, there are also derivatives of the surname which have evolved over time, including Oberbocker, Oberbeckman, Oberbecks, Oberbeckers, and Oberbeeks. These surnames all have the same origin as Overbecke, as they contain the same ‘ober’ root, but are adapted to suit the linguistic needs of the country in which they are spoken.

In conclusion, the surname Overbecke has many variants similar in origin but adapted to different languages or dialects. Other surnames derived from this root are Oberbeck, Oberbecken, Obreque, and Obberback, as well as derivative surnames like Oberbocker, Oberbeckman, Oberbecks, Oberbeckers, and Oberbeeks. Furthermore, some of the rarer variants of this surname include Orback, Odrebeque, and Alvarebeke.

Famous people with the name Overbecke

• Henry Overbeck (German painter, 1818-1869)
• Christian Overbeck (American painter and sculptor, b. 1955)
• Maria Overbeck (German slipware potter, 1796-1866)
• Johann Overbecke (German historian, 1726-1788)
• Dietmar Overbeck (Italian-German football player, b. 1975)
• Jean Overbeck (French politician, 1888-1975)
• Antina van Overbeck (Dutch singer, b. 1980)
• Christophe Overbeck (French football manager and former player, b. 1976)
• Amandus Overbecke (German politician, 1852-1938)
• Louis Overbecke (Dutch sculptor, 1849-1900)

Other surnames

Overbeck