NameCensus.

UK surname

Berg

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived on or near a hill or mountain.

In the 1881 census there were 225 people recorded with the Berg surname, ranking it #11,931 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 993, ranked #5,838, up from #11,931 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Whitechapel and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrow, Westminster and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Berg is 993 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 341.3%.

1881 census count

225

Ranked #11,931

Modern count

993

2016, ranked #5,838

Peak year

2016

993 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Berg had 225 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,931 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 993 in 2016, ranked #5,838.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 574 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Berg surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Berg surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Berg 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 48 #24,615
1861 historical 112 #19,279
1881 historical 225 #11,931
1891 historical 284 #11,542
1901 historical 487 #8,208
1911 historical 574 #7,069
1997 modern 858 #6,191
1998 modern 916 #6,064
1999 modern 948 #5,955
2000 modern 959 #5,888
2001 modern 929 #5,925
2002 modern 930 #6,034
2003 modern 924 #5,958
2004 modern 932 #5,917
2005 modern 900 #6,033
2006 modern 892 #6,090
2007 modern 914 #6,023
2008 modern 899 #6,132
2009 modern 922 #6,140
2010 modern 983 #5,960
2011 modern 961 #6,013
2012 modern 952 #5,968
2013 modern 974 #5,950
2014 modern 989 #5,910
2015 modern 986 #5,880
2016 modern 993 #5,838

Geography

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Where Bergs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes, Manchester and St Luke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrow, Westminster, Barnet, Enfield and Waltham Forest. 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 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
2 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 St Luke London (Central Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrow 001 Harrow
2 Westminster 001 Westminster
3 Barnet 014 Barnet
4 Enfield 020 Enfield
5 Waltham Forest 020 Waltham Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Berg

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Berg

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Berg surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Berg household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Berg is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Berg 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

Berg falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Berg 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
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Berg

The surname "BERG" is of Germanic and Scandinavian origin, derived from the Old Norse and Old German words "bergr" or "berg", meaning "hill" or "mountain". It is a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near or on a hill or mountain.

The name can be traced back to the early medieval period, with records of the name appearing in various regions of present-day Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. One of the earliest known references to the name is found in the Landnámabók, a medieval Icelandic manuscript detailing the settlement of Iceland in the 9th and 10th centuries, where it mentions several individuals with the surname Berg or variants like Bergsson.

In Germany, the surname Berg is found in records as early as the 12th century, such as in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony. Notable individuals with this surname from this period include Johann Berg (c. 1350-1420), a German theologian and rector of the University of Leipzig.

The Domesday Book, a survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Berg. However, it does mention several place names with the element "berg", suggesting the presence of people living near hills or mountains in England at the time.

In Sweden, the surname Berg can be traced back to the 14th century, with records of individuals such as Jöns Berg (c. 1320-1385), a Swedish statesman and member of the Privy Council of Sweden. Other notable Swedish individuals with the surname include Peder Berg (1629-1692), a Swedish politician and governor of Stockholm, and Eva Berg (1923-2008), a renowned Swedish actress.

In Norway, the surname Berg is also found in medieval records, with individuals like Erling Berg (c. 1300-1370), a Norwegian nobleman and military leader during the Norwegian Civil War. Another notable Norwegian with this surname is Johan Berg (1901-1970), a novelist and playwright who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1928.

Other notable individuals with the surname Berg throughout history include Alban Berg (1885-1935), an Austrian composer of the Second Viennese School, and Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982), the Swedish actress who starred in several classic films, including Casablanca and Gaslight.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Berg families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Berg 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 98 Bergs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.45x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 98 4.45x
Surrey 27 2.51x
Lancashire 15 0.57x
Essex 12 2.76x
Durham 9 1.37x
Northumberland 9 2.74x
Yorkshire 9 0.41x
Kent 7 0.93x
Angus 6 2.94x
Buckinghamshire 5 3.75x
Cheshire 5 1.03x
Devon 5 1.09x
Sussex 4 1.08x
Aberdeenshire 3 1.47x
Glamorgan 3 0.78x
Hampshire 3 0.66x
Gloucestershire 1 0.23x
Hertfordshire 1 0.66x
Lanarkshire 1 0.14x
Lincolnshire 1 0.28x
Norfolk 1 0.30x
Stirlingshire 1 1.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 22 Bergs recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.30x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 22 10.30x
St Luke London 14 39.59x
Wanstead 12 157.48x
Mile End Old Town London 10 21.31x
Rotherhithe 9 33.04x
St Pancras London 9 5.07x
Lambeth 8 4.16x
Bromley London 7 14.43x
Holy Trinity 7 13.32x
West Derby 7 9.15x
Whitechapel London 7 32.21x
Monifieth 6 83.22x
Newington 6 7.37x
Southwick 6 96.62x
Aylesbury 5 84.60x
Spitalfields London 5 30.16x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 5 115.47x
Bethnal Green London 4 4.18x
Cowpen 4 52.98x
Exeter St Sidwell 4 38.06x
Hackney London 4 3.24x
Liverpool 4 2.52x
Maidstone 4 17.86x
Aberdeen Old Machar 3 7.04x
Shoreditch London 3 3.14x
St Marylebone London 3 2.55x
Sunderland 3 25.91x
Toxteth Park 3 3.39x
Bermondsey 2 3.05x
Brighton 2 2.67x
Cardiff St Mary 2 9.46x
Chelsea London 2 3.01x
Chirton 2 26.95x
Clerkenwell London 2 3.84x
Hastings St Clement 2 57.14x
Kensington London 2 1.63x
Portsea 2 2.26x
Anderston 1 526.32x
Bradford 1 1.89x
Bristol 1 243.90x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 12.76x
Doncaster 1 6.27x
Elswick 1 3.82x
Grangemouth 1 1000.00x
Great Grimsby 1 4.47x
Great Yarmouth 1 3.56x
Greenwich 1 2.85x
Kearsley 1 18.18x
Lingfield 1 47.85x
Llandaff 1 7.83x
Milton In Gravesend 1 8.87x
Newcastle On Tyne 1 285.71x
North Shields 1 15.27x
Plymouth Charles The 1 4.95x
Richmond 1 6.64x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.57x
St Mary Bothaw London 1 1250.00x
St Thomas Winchester 1 31.35x
Stoke Newington London 1 5.82x
Watford 1 8.49x
Westminster St James 1 4.41x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 9
John 6
William 5
Abraham 4
Charles 4
George 4
Frederick 3
James 3
Alexander 2
Edward 2
Ellis 2
Emil 2
Israel 2
J. 2
Louis 2
Peter 2
Samuel 2
Willm. 2
Arthur 1
Axel 1
Benjamin 1
Bernhardt 1
Carl 1
Duncan 1
Endre 1
Ephraim 1
Ernest 1
Friedrick 1
Fritz 1
Gustav 1
H. 1
Harald 1
Harold 1
Harris 1
Harry 1
Hermann 1
Hyman 1
Isaac 1
Isac 1
Isidore 1
Jacob 1
Jno. 1
Johan 1
Joseph 1
Karl 1
M. 1
Max 1
Nicklaus 1
Ole 1
Olof 1

FAQ

Berg surname: questions and answers

How common was the Berg surname in 1881?

In 1881, 225 people were recorded with the Berg surname. That placed it at #11,931 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Berg surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 993 in 2016. That gives Berg a modern rank of #5,838.

What does the Berg surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived on or near a hill or mountain.

What does the Berg map show?

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