Family Bekkema
The Bekkema family originates from the East Frisian city of Norden, where they have lived for generations. In the year 1759 it was decided to move to Surhuisterveen via Emden, Leer and the city of Groningen. The most famous ancestor Peter Jacobs was born around 1540 in Norden, he was a merchant and citizen of that city. A few generations later, his descendants are still merchant and citizen of Norden. But in addition to being a merchant, Jacob Peters (Becker) (who lived in the late 17th century) also became a glazier. The stained-glass windows of the Evangelical-Lutheran Liudger church of Leer were installed and had been made by the glazier Jacob Peters.
The surname Bekkema has nothing to do with bek (= mouth). Like all Frisian surnames ending in ma, it means family from Bekke. A logical explanation is therefore easy to explain. Jacob Pieters Bekkema (Jacob Peters (Bekkema) (1736-1814) had an aunt named Bekke, a common East Frisian girl name. Bekke means glittering in Germanic. Jacob may have chosen a name derived from his aunt in 1811 Bekke. Others think that it has something to do with the common (German) surname Becker, because his son dies as Pieter Jakobs Bekker.
Jacob Pieters Bekkema was born in 1736 in Norden and married Geertje Arends (1732-1804) van Norden in 1756 there. There is only one family Bekkema and all Bekkema’s are therefore related to each other. They are descended from Jacob’s son Peter Jacob Jacobs Bekkema (1760-1813). Peter was baptized in the Evangelical-Lutheran church in Groningen in 1760, just like his ancestors, he was also of Evangelical-Lutheran descent. His father was a scissors sharpener and tinker. Peter became a horse doctor. His mother Geertje was known as a miracle doctor and she was born in Norden.
The Bekkema family has now become spread all over the world and consists of approximately 1500 living persons.
(text copied from https://pergoetp.home.xs4all.nl/bekkemagen.htm Klaas Bekkema)