UK surname
A topographic surname potentially referring to someone from a place called Berck or a hillock.
In the 1881 census there were 4 people recorded with the Berck surname, ranking it #33,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4, ranked #38,419, down from #33,288 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Acton, King's Lynn St Margaret and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Berck is 171 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.0%.
1881 census count
4
Ranked #33,288
Modern count
4
2016, ranked #38,419
Peak year
1861
171 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Berck surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Berck surname density by area, 1861 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1861 | historical | 171 | #13,692 |
| 1881 | historical | 4 | #33,288 |
| 1891 | historical | 57 | #29,533 |
| 1901 | historical | 2 | #34,263 |
| 1911 | historical | 15 | #31,938 |
| 1997 | modern | 5 | #37,891 |
| 1998 | modern | 6 | #37,703 |
| 1999 | modern | 6 | #37,696 |
| 2000 | modern | 5 | #37,823 |
| 2001 | modern | 4 | #37,862 |
| 2002 | modern | 4 | #37,921 |
| 2003 | modern | 4 | #37,951 |
| 2004 | modern | 4 | #38,013 |
| 2005 | modern | 3 | #38,312 |
| 2006 | modern | 3 | #38,334 |
| 2007 | modern | 3 | #38,372 |
| 2008 | modern | 3 | #38,396 |
| 2009 | modern | 3 | #38,494 |
| 2010 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2011 | modern | 3 | #38,546 |
| 2012 | modern | 3 | #38,530 |
| 2013 | modern | 4 | #38,359 |
| 2014 | modern | 4 | #38,376 |
| 2015 | modern | 4 | #38,392 |
| 2016 | modern | 4 | #38,419 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Acton, King's Lynn St Margaret, Wigan, Ashford and St George the Martyr. 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 | Acton | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 2 | King's Lynn St Margaret | Norfolk |
| 3 | Wigan | Lancashire |
| 4 | Ashford | Kent |
| 5 | St George the Martyr | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Berck 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 Berck, 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 Berck surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Berck 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, Berck 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 Berck is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Berck, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BERCK is believed to have originated in the German region of Bavaria, with records dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Germanic word "Berg," meaning "hill" or "mountain," suggesting that the earliest bearers of the name may have lived in or near a hilly or mountainous area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BERCK can be found in the Codex Traditionum Corbeiensium, a medieval manuscript from the Corvey Abbey in Westphalia, Germany. This document, dating back to the 9th century, mentions a person named Bercko, which is likely an early spelling variation of the surname.
In the 13th century, a nobleman named Heinrich von Berck was documented as the owner of lands near the town of Berck-sur-Mer in northern France. This suggests that the name may have spread from Germany to other parts of Europe during the Middle Ages.
During the Renaissance period, a notable figure bearing the surname BERCK was Johannes Berck, a German printer and publisher who lived in the 16th century. He was known for his work in producing influential books and pamphlets during the Protestant Reformation.
In the 17th century, a Dutch painter named Hieronymus van Beverningh, also known as Hieronymus Berck, gained recognition for his still-life paintings and landscapes. He was born in 1614 and died in 1690.
Another prominent individual with the surname BERCK was Johann Berck, a German composer and organist who lived from 1628 to 1676. He is remembered for his contributions to the development of the North German organ school and his compositions for organ and other instruments.
The surname BERCK has also been associated with various place names, such as Berck-sur-Mer in France, Berck in Germany, and Berck in the Netherlands. These place names likely originated from the same Germanic root word and may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname over time.
It is worth noting that while the surname BERCK has a long history and can be traced back to medieval times, its prevalence and distribution may have varied across different regions and time periods. The information provided here represents a general overview of the surname's origins and notable bearers, but there may be additional historical records and details yet to be discovered or explored.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Berck 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. Leicestershire leads with 4 Bercks recorded in 1881 and an index of 92.81x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Leicestershire | 4 | 92.81x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitwick in Leicestershire leads with 4 Bercks recorded in 1881 and an index of 8000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Whitwick | 4 | 8000.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Berck 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 Berck surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Henry | 1 |
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 Berck households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Brickmakers Labourer | 1 |
| Needlewoman | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 4 people were recorded with the Berck surname. That placed it at #33,288 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 4 in 2016. That gives Berck a modern rank of #38,419.
A topographic surname potentially referring to someone from a place called Berck or a hillock.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Berck 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.