UK surname
A surname possibly derived from the German word for "hill" or "tree".
In the 1881 census there were 78 people recorded with the Berch surname, ranking it #22,500 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3, ranked #38,594, down from #22,500 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Heston and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Berch is 264 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 96.2%.
1881 census count
78
Ranked #22,500
Modern count
3
2016, ranked #38,594
Peak year
1891
264 bearers
Map years
3
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Berch surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Berch surname density by area, 1901 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 176 | #11,489 |
| 1861 | historical | 18 | #31,580 |
| 1881 | historical | 78 | #22,500 |
| 1891 | historical | 264 | #12,235 |
| 1901 | historical | 143 | #18,570 |
| 1911 | historical | 71 | #25,742 |
| 2003 | modern | 1 | #38,735 |
| 2004 | modern | 1 | #38,771 |
| 2005 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 2006 | modern | 2 | #38,590 |
| 2007 | modern | 1 | #38,907 |
| 2008 | modern | 1 | #38,949 |
| 2009 | modern | 2 | #38,725 |
| 2010 | modern | 1 | #39,020 |
| 2011 | modern | 1 | #39,015 |
| 2012 | modern | 1 | #38,986 |
| 2013 | modern | 1 | #39,008 |
| 2014 | modern | 2 | #38,791 |
| 2015 | modern | 3 | #38,558 |
| 2016 | modern | 3 | #38,594 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Heston, St Pancras, Liverpool and Ipswich St Mary Stoke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton | Staffordshire |
| 2 | Heston | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| 5 | Ipswich St Mary Stoke | Suffolk |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Berch surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Berch, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Berch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Berch household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Berch is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Berch is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Berch, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BERCH is of German origin, rooted in the Old German word "berga", meaning "hill" or "mountain". Its earliest recorded use dates back to the 12th century, primarily concentrated in the southern regions of Germany.
One of the earliest known references to the name BERCH can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. The codex mentions an individual named "Henricus de Berche" in a land transaction record from 1241.
The name BERCH likely originated as a descriptive surname, initially given to individuals who lived near or worked on hills or mountainous areas. Over time, it evolved into a hereditary surname passed down through generations.
In the 14th century, the BERCH surname appeared in various records across Germany, including the Würzburg Diocesan Register, which documented a "Johannes Berch" in 1327. During this period, the name also took on various spellings, such as "Bergh" and "Berghe".
Notable historical figures bearing the BERCH surname include:
1. Matthias Berch (1541-1611), a German theologian and reformer who played a crucial role in the Protestant Reformation in Saxony.
2. Anna Berch (1575-1632), a German midwife and herbalist renowned for her knowledge of traditional medicine in the Harz region.
3. Heinrich Berch (1615-1679), a German composer and organist known for his contributions to the development of the Protestant church music tradition.
4. Johann Gottfried Berch (1681-1738), a German jurist and author who published several influential works on legal philosophy and jurisprudence.
5. Friedrich Wilhelm Berch (1730-1798), a German geographer and cartographer who created detailed maps of various regions in central Europe.
While the BERCH surname may have originated as a locational descriptor, it eventually transcended its geographic roots and became a widely recognized name across German-speaking regions and beyond.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Berch surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 16 Berchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.13x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 16 | 2.13x |
| Staffordshire | 15 | 5.92x |
| Surrey | 13 | 3.55x |
| Somerset | 9 | 7.44x |
| Cheshire | 7 | 4.22x |
| Lanarkshire | 4 | 1.65x |
| Yorkshire | 4 | 0.54x |
| Durham | 2 | 0.90x |
| Kent | 2 | 0.78x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.11x |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 0.83x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.99x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.79x |
| Wiltshire | 1 | 1.51x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 10 Berchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.31x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Wolverhampton | 10 | 51.31x |
| Nailsea | 9 | 1875.00x |
| Shoreditch London | 7 | 21.50x |
| Tintwistle | 7 | 786.52x |
| Battersea | 6 | 21.71x |
| Bothwell | 4 | 60.70x |
| Reigate Foreign | 4 | 101.01x |
| Rushall | 4 | 268.46x |
| Westminster St John | 4 | 43.72x |
| Streatham | 2 | 35.91x |
| Yalding | 2 | 307.69x |
| Bromley London | 1 | 6.05x |
| Chelsea London | 1 | 4.42x |
| Easton | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Hawes | 1 | 204.08x |
| Horsham | 1 | 40.65x |
| Horton In Bradford | 1 | 8.61x |
| Hunslet | 1 | 8.61x |
| Leyland | 1 | 64.52x |
| Newark Upon Trent | 1 | 27.47x |
| Newcastle Under Lyme | 1 | 22.27x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 3.62x |
| St Luke London | 1 | 8.30x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 1.65x |
| Staindrop | 1 | 294.12x |
| Steeton Cum Eastburn | 1 | 384.62x |
| Stockton On Tees | 1 | 9.29x |
| Stourton | 1 | 714.29x |
| Walton On Thames | 1 | 59.52x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Berch surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Berch surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Berch households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 11 |
| School | 3 |
| Coal Miner | 2 |
| Cotton Op | 2 |
| Housekeeper | 2 |
| Mill Sawyer | 2 |
| None | 2 |
| (Tailor) Taylor's Machinist | 1 |
| Charwoman ((Dom)) | 1 |
| Clerk | 1 |
| Coal Miners Wife | 1 |
| Cook (Dom) | 1 |
| Dealer | 1 |
| Dom Serv | 1 |
| Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Engine Driver | 1 |
| Engineer Lab (E&M) | 1 |
| Excavator (Navvy) | 1 |
| Farmer Of 55 Acres 1 Man 1 Woman | 1 |
| Flag & Slate Quarry Lab | 1 |
| Gardener | 1 |
| Gas Fitter | 1 |
| Gen Ser Dom | 1 |
| General Dom Serv | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| Housemaid | 1 |
| Joiner | 1 |
| Lath Render | 1 |
| Lath Render Wife | 1 |
| Nil | 1 |
| No Occ ((Assists At Home)) (7 Son) | 1 |
| Servant Domestic | 1 |
| Still Room Maid | 1 |
| Timber Salesman | 1 |
| Trader (Gen Dealer) | 1 |
| Twister In (CM) | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
| Wood Leader | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 78 people were recorded with the Berch surname. That placed it at #22,500 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 3 in 2016. That gives Berch a modern rank of #38,594.
A surname possibly derived from the German word for "hill" or "tree".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Berch bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.