NameCensus.

UK surname

Berliner

A surname denoting a person from Berlin, Germany.

In the 1881 census there were 15 people recorded with the Berliner surname, ranking it #31,451 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 32, ranked #35,887, down from #31,451 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, London parishes and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Berliner is 118 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 113.3%.

1881 census count

15

Ranked #31,451

Modern count

32

2016, ranked #35,887

Peak year

1911

118 bearers

Map years

1

1911 to 1911

Key insights

  • Berliner had 15 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,451 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 32 in 2016, ranked #35,887.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 118 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is No data.

Berliner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Berliner surname density by area, 1911 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Berliner 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 15 #30,614
1861 historical 31 #30,058
1881 historical 15 #31,451
1891 historical 58 #29,439
1901 historical 97 #23,227
1911 historical 118 #20,649
1997 modern 43 #33,361
1998 modern 45 #33,374
1999 modern 42 #33,778
2000 modern 35 #34,420
2001 modern 34 #34,356
2002 modern 37 #34,390
2003 modern 38 #34,361
2004 modern 35 #34,783
2005 modern 32 #35,191
2006 modern 32 #35,392
2007 modern 33 #35,461
2008 modern 32 #35,610
2009 modern 32 #35,730
2010 modern 35 #35,676
2011 modern 33 #35,777
2012 modern 33 #35,767
2013 modern 34 #35,761
2014 modern 32 #35,896
2015 modern 33 #35,803
2016 modern 32 #35,887

Geography

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Where Berliners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, London parishes, Toxteth Park, St Dunstan Stepney and St Marylebone. 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.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 No data No data

Forenames

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First names often paired with Berliner

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

Recent female names

No Forenames Found

Recent male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Berliner

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

No data

Group

No data

Nationally, the Berliner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Berliner household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

No data

Group

No data

Within London, Berliner 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

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Berliner is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Berliner

The surname BERLINER is a locational name originating from the city of Berlin in Germany. It is derived from the Old Polabian word "berl", meaning "swamp". The name first emerged in the 12th century when the city was founded on a swampy area near the River Spree.

The earliest recorded instance of the name BERLINER can be found in a document from 1301, referring to a man named Johannes Berliner. In the 14th century, the spelling variations included Berliner, Barliner, and Berlyner.

One notable bearer of the name was Moses Mendelssohn, a German Jewish philosopher and Enlightenment thinker, who lived from 1729 to 1786. He is credited with helping to establish modern Jewish studies and advocating for the integration of Jews into German society.

Another prominent figure was Emil Berliner, a German-American inventor and audio pioneer, born in 1851 and died in 1929. He is best known for inventing the gramophone record and the flat disc recording method, revolutionizing the recording industry.

In the field of music, the American jazz pianist and composer Milton Berliner, who lived from 1920 to 1994, made significant contributions to the development of cool jazz and third stream music.

The name BERLINER is also associated with the famous Berliner doughnut, which originated in Berlin in the 18th century. The pastry was created by a baker named Ernst Theodor Amedee Hoffmann, who called it the "Berliner Pfannkuchen" (Berlin pancake).

A notable literary figure with the surname BERLINER was the German author and journalist Hans Berliner, who lived from 1914 to 2001. He is best known for his critically acclaimed novel "The Novel of the Immortals" (1948), which explored the theme of immortality.

While the name BERLINER is primarily associated with Germany and its capital city, it has also been adopted by individuals of various nationalities and backgrounds, reflecting the global reach and influence of Berlin's cultural and historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Berliner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Berliner 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 15 Berliners recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.27x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 15 10.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mile End Old Town London in Middlesex leads with 5 Berliners recorded in 1881 and an index of 160.77x.

Place Total Index
Mile End Old Town London 5 160.77x
St Marylebone London 5 64.10x
St Luke London 3 128.21x
Islington London 1 7.06x
St George In East London 1 72.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Blanch 1
Caroline 1
Helen 1
Leah 1
Rebecca 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 2
Arthur 1
Berman 1
Harold 1
J. 1
Jacob 1
Louis 1
Walter 1

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 Berliner households.

FAQ

Berliner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Berliner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 15 people were recorded with the Berliner surname. That placed it at #31,451 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Berliner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 32 in 2016. That gives Berliner a modern rank of #35,887.

What does the Berliner surname mean?

A surname denoting a person from Berlin, Germany.

What does the Berliner map show?

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