Balkema Family History
Balkema Name Meaning
Dutch (mainly Groningen):: patronymic formed with the Frisian suffix -ma ‘(one of the) men of’ from the personal name Balke a pet form of Bal . nickname for a carpenter from balk ‘beam’ (see Balk ) composed with the same Frisian suffix as in 1 above. habitational name for someone from the hamlet Balk near Grotegast the village Balk in Gaasterland Balkbrug (Ooststellingwerf) or Balkend (Leeuwarderadeel).
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022