NameCensus.

UK surname

Bera

A surname derived from the Basque word meaning "warm" or "heat".

In the 1881 census there were 7 people recorded with the Bera surname, ranking it #32,765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 105, ranked #30,114, up from #32,765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leicester, Stroud and Preston.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bera is 109 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1400.0%.

1881 census count

7

Ranked #32,765

Modern count

105

2016, ranked #30,114

Peak year

2015

109 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bera had 7 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016, ranked #30,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 48 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Bera surname distribution map

The map shows where the Bera surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Bera surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bera over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1861 historical 48 #27,896
1881 historical 7 #32,765
1891 historical 11 #33,268
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 26 #35,135
1998 modern 36 #34,246
1999 modern 34 #34,528
2000 modern 31 #34,798
2001 modern 31 #34,648
2002 modern 30 #34,950
2003 modern 37 #34,432
2004 modern 40 #34,387
2005 modern 45 #34,160
2006 modern 49 #34,152
2007 modern 58 #33,731
2008 modern 60 #33,743
2009 modern 71 #33,102
2010 modern 70 #33,480
2011 modern 73 #33,230
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 101 #30,591
2014 modern 105 #30,204
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 105 #30,114

Geography

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Where Beras are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leicester, Stroud, Preston, Bolton and Birmingham. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leicester 017 Leicester
2 Stroud 006 Stroud
3 Preston 016 Preston
4 Bolton 023 Bolton
5 Birmingham 128 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bera

These lists show first names that appear often with the Bera surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bera

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bera, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students

Nationally, the Bera surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Bera household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples with dependent children are common in this Group, with many parents born in Africa or the EU. The representation of residents amongst different ethnic minority groups is high, particularly for individuals of Pakistani ethnic group. For many residents, English is not their main language, and affiliation to Christian religions is less common. Privately rented terrace properties predominate and levels of overcrowding are high. Part time work is common, with many employed in elementary occupations and sales and customer services. There are also many students living within these areas, and overall unemployment levels are high.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Bera is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bera is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bera falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bera is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Indian

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bera, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bera

The surname BERA has its origins in Spain, likely emerging in the medieval period between the 8th and 15th centuries. It is thought to be derived from the Spanish word "vera," meaning a riverbank or a grassy meadow near a river. This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived or worked near a riverbank.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BERA surname can be found in the "Fuero de Sepúlveda," a legal code from the 13th century that governed the town of Sepúlveda in the northern part of Spain. This document mentions several individuals with the surname BERA, indicating that the name was already established in the region by that time.

During the 15th century, the BERA surname appeared in various records from the Kingdom of Aragon, which encompassed parts of modern-day Spain and France. One notable individual from this period was Juan BERA, a merchant and landowner who lived in the city of Zaragoza in the late 1400s.

In the 16th century, the BERA surname spread to other parts of Spain, as well as to the Spanish colonies in the Americas. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name in the New World was Pedro BERA, a conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico in the 1520s under Hernán Cortés.

As the Spanish Empire expanded, the BERA surname also found its way to other regions, including the Philippines and parts of Italy. In the 18th century, a notable figure with this name was Antonio BERA, a Spanish military officer who served as the governor of the Philippines from 1778 to 1787.

Another individual of historical significance was José BERA, a Spanish painter and sculptor who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was renowned for his religious artwork and contributed to the decoration of several churches in Spain.

Jumping ahead to the 20th century, one prominent bearer of the BERA surname was Manuel BERA, a Spanish politician who served as the Minister of Public Works during the Second Spanish Republic in the 1930s.

Throughout its history, the BERA surname has maintained a strong presence in Spain and its former territories, reflecting the legacy of its Spanish origins. While the name has evolved over time, its connection to the concept of riverbanks and meadows remains a fascinating aspect of its etymology.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bera families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bera surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 7 Beras recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.28x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 7 10.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tottenham in Middlesex leads with 7 Beras recorded in 1881 and an index of 648.15x.

Place Total Index
Tottenham 7 648.15x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bera surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Alice 1
Grace 1
Rose 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bera surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Alfred 2

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Bera households.

Occupation Count
Dressmaker 1
Tin Plate Worker 1

FAQ

Bera surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bera surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7 people were recorded with the Bera surname. That placed it at #32,765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bera surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016. That gives Bera a modern rank of #30,114.

What does the Bera surname mean?

A surname derived from the Basque word meaning "warm" or "heat".

What does the Bera map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bera bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.