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Backman Family History

Backman Surname Meaning

Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements back(e) ‘hill’ + man ‘man’. Swedish (Bäckman): ornamental name composed of the elements bäck ‘stream’ + man ‘man’. Compare Beckman.

Americanized form of German Backmann: occupational name for a baker or employee of a master baker from backen ‘to bake’ + man(n) ‘man’. Americanized form of German and Swiss German Bachmann.

English (Essex and Middlesex): from Middle English bak-man ‘maker or seller of pastries, tarts, or pies’ (Old English gebæc ‘baked goods, bakemeats’ + mann ‘man’). Compare Baker.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Backman family from?

You can see how Backman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Backman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Backman families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 22 Backman families living in London. This was about 48% of all the recorded Backman's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Backman families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Backman surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Backman ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Hairdresser and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Backman. 50% of Backman men worked as a Hairdresser and 67% of Backman women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Backman were Telephone Engineer Wireman and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Backman | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Hairdresser
    50%
  • Telephone Engineer Wireman
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Hairdresser
    7%
  • Household Duties
    7%
  • Domestic Servant
    7%

What Backman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 29,000 census records available for the last name Backman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Backman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Backman

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Backman. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Backman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Backman. For the veterans among your Backman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Backman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Backman family history

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What is the average Backman lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Backman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Backman in 1953 was 45, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Backman

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Backman ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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