Backman Family History

English (mainly northern): topographic name for someone who lived on a hill or at the rear of a settlement, from Middle English bakke ‘back’, ‘spine’ + man ‘man’. Compare Backer. Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements back(e) ‘hill’ + man ‘man’. Swedish (Bäck(man)): ornamental name composed of the elements bäck ‘stream’ + man ‘man’. German: variant of Bachmann. German: occupational name for a baker or employee of a master baker, from backen ‘to bake’ + man(n) ‘man’. Compare Beckmann.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press