NameCensus.

UK surname

Bere

A variant spelling of the English surname Bere, possibly derived from a geographical name.

In the 1881 census there were 104 people recorded with the Bere surname, ranking it #19,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 292, ranked #15,022, up from #19,296 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tiverton and Barking. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Dorset, Torridge and North Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bere is 311 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 180.8%.

1881 census count

104

Ranked #19,296

Modern count

292

2016, ranked #15,022

Peak year

2013

311 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bere had 104 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,296 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 292 in 2016, ranked #15,022.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 168 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Bere surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bere surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bere 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
1851 historical 82 #19,317
1861 historical 98 #21,388
1881 historical 104 #19,296
1891 historical 159 #17,636
1901 historical 168 #16,886
1911 historical 154 #17,553
1997 modern 251 #15,236
1998 modern 235 #16,358
1999 modern 249 #15,844
2000 modern 248 #15,827
2001 modern 239 #15,963
2002 modern 256 #15,565
2003 modern 252 #15,530
2004 modern 257 #15,419
2005 modern 249 #15,679
2006 modern 246 #15,907
2007 modern 245 #16,134
2008 modern 267 #15,349
2009 modern 277 #15,260
2010 modern 291 #15,050
2011 modern 291 #14,903
2012 modern 293 #14,742
2013 modern 311 #14,368
2014 modern 308 #14,571
2015 modern 300 #14,758
2016 modern 292 #15,022

Geography

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Where Beres are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tiverton, Barking, Paddington and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Dorset, Torridge, North Devon and South Somerset. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Tiverton Devon
3 Barking Essex
4 Paddington London (West Districts)
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Dorset 004 West Dorset
2 Torridge 008 Torridge
3 North Devon 014 North Devon
4 South Somerset 024 South Somerset
5 North Devon 009 North Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bere

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bere

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bere, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Bere surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Bere household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Bere 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

Bere is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bere falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bere is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bere

The surname BERE is believed to have its origins in England, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "bere," which means barley or a barley crop. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who grew or worked with barley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BERE can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Bere" in various locations across England, indicating its widespread use during that time period.

In the 12th century, a notable figure named William de Bere was recorded as a landowner in Gloucestershire. This is one of the earliest documented instances of the surname being used in its modern spelling.

The name BERE is also associated with several place names in England, such as Bere Regis in Dorset and Bere Ferrers in Devon. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname BERE. One example is John Bere (c. 1499-1537), who served as the Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey during the reign of King Henry VIII. He was eventually executed for his refusal to surrender the abbey during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Another prominent figure was Richard Bere (c. 1580-1637), an English composer and organist who served as the organist at St. Peter's Cathedral in Berlin during the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, William Bere (1713-1794) was a notable English architect and surveyor who worked on several projects in London, including the reconstruction of St. Paul's Cathedral after the Great Fire of London.

During the 19th century, Edward Bere (1831-1901) was a prominent English clergyman and author who served as the Canon of Worcester Cathedral and published several works on religious topics.

Finally, in the early 20th century, Sir Cedric Bere (1890-1972) was a British diplomat and civil servant who held various positions in the Foreign Office and served as the Ambassador to Belgium from 1936 to 1939.

While the surname BERE may have evolved and spread over time, its origins can be traced back to the Old English language and the agricultural roots of medieval England, reflecting the rich history and diversity of English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bere families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bere 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. Devon leads with 40 Beres recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.94x.

County Total Index
Devon 40 18.94x
Somerset 25 15.31x
Middlesex 14 1.38x
Gloucestershire 7 3.52x
Essex 5 2.50x
Dorset 3 4.51x
Wiltshire 3 3.34x
Suffolk 2 1.62x
Berkshire 1 1.31x
Hampshire 1 0.48x
Kent 1 0.29x
Oxfordshire 1 1.60x
Surrey 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tiverton in Devon leads with 12 Beres recorded in 1881 and an index of 329.67x.

Place Total Index
Tiverton 12 329.67x
Whitchurch 8 2162.16x
Silverton 7 1590.91x
Chard 6 303.03x
Goathurst 6 6666.67x
Milverton 6 1000.00x
Paddington London 6 16.09x
Barking 5 85.32x
Sandford 4 769.23x
St Clement Danes London 4 190.48x
Uplowman 4 2857.14x
Westbury On Trym 4 59.35x
Bristol St Paul In 3 56.60x
Wambrook 3 3333.33x
Figheldean 2 1250.00x
Ipswich St Mathew 2 57.80x
Kensington London 2 3.55x
Landkey 2 952.38x
Skilgate 2 2500.00x
Bampton 1 153.85x
Chawleigh 1 434.78x
Cheldon 1 5000.00x
Clewer 1 32.05x
Croydon 1 3.65x
Lewisham 1 5.42x
Marlborough St Peter St 1 217.39x
Oake 1 2500.00x
Oxford St Martin 1 1000.00x
St George Bloomsbury 1 17.18x
Taunton St James 1 42.02x
Taunton St Mary 1 33.33x
Trull 1 303.03x
Ventnor 1 50.51x
Westminster St Margaret 1 20.45x
Yeovil 1 30.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Annie 3
Elizabeth 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Alice 2
Caroline 2
Cecil 2
Charlotte 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Sarah 2
Selina 2
Ada 1
Annetbee 1
Bessie 1
Bridgett 1
Eda 1
Edith 1
Effie 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Grace 1
Jane 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Madonna 1
Polly 1
Rhoda 1
Rosamound 1
Rosetta 1
Susan 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
Charles 5
George 5
Edmund 3
Montague 3
William 3
Albert 2
Henry 2
James 2
Richard 2
Sidney 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Arcangelo 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jaber 1
Lawrence 1
Matthew 1
Robert 1
Rudland 1
Sandford 1

FAQ

Bere surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bere surname in 1881?

In 1881, 104 people were recorded with the Bere surname. That placed it at #19,296 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bere surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 292 in 2016. That gives Bere a modern rank of #15,022.

What does the Bere surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Bere, possibly derived from a geographical name.

What does the Bere map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bere 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.