NameCensus.

UK surname

Bernal

A Spanish toponymic surname referring to someone from Bernal, a village in Castile, Spain, or any of several other places named Bernal.

In the 1881 census there were 14 people recorded with the Bernal surname, ranking it #31,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 189, ranked #20,334, up from #31,604 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rochford, South Northamptonshire and Mole Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bernal is 189 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1250.0%.

1881 census count

14

Ranked #31,604

Modern count

189

2016, ranked #20,334

Peak year

2016

189 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bernal had 14 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,604 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 189 in 2016, ranked #20,334.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 30 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Bernal surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bernal surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bernal 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 23 #29,205
1861 historical 17 #31,714
1881 historical 14 #31,604
1891 historical 20 #32,579
1901 historical 30 #30,724
1911 historical 23 #30,923
1997 modern 88 #28,611
1998 modern 80 #29,966
1999 modern 88 #29,287
2000 modern 93 #28,701
2001 modern 89 #28,932
2002 modern 95 #28,666
2003 modern 86 #29,752
2004 modern 96 #28,605
2005 modern 95 #28,817
2006 modern 95 #29,113
2007 modern 117 #26,066
2008 modern 132 #24,476
2009 modern 129 #25,314
2010 modern 147 #23,809
2011 modern 133 #25,177
2012 modern 153 #22,963
2013 modern 177 #21,170
2014 modern 179 #21,186
2015 modern 180 #20,997
2016 modern 189 #20,334

Geography

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Where Bernals are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rochford, South Northamptonshire, Mole Valley, Wiltshire and Westminster. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rochford 008 Rochford
2 South Northamptonshire 009 South Northamptonshire
3 Mole Valley 011 Mole Valley
4 Wiltshire 040 Wiltshire
5 Westminster 016 Westminster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bernal

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bernal

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bernal, 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 Bernal surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Bernal 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Bernal is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bernal 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

Bernal 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 Bernal 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Bernal

The surname Bernal originates from Spain and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the Spanish place name Bernal, which in turn comes from the Latin word "barnalis" meaning "a field for storing grain and crops."

The earliest recorded instance of the name Bernal can be found in a charter document from the year 1166, which mentions a landowner named Petrus de Bernal in the region of Castile. This suggests that the name was already well-established in Spain by the 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various official records and manuscripts, including the Libro de la Montería, a hunting treatise written for King Alfonso XI of Castile in the 14th century. This text mentions a place called "Bernal de Parraces" in the province of Soria.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Bernal surname was Diego Bernal, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century. He was born around 1495 in Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia.

Another notable figure with the Bernal surname was Agustín Bernal del Río y Rivas (1567-1655), a Spanish theologian and writer who served as the Bishop of Calahorra and La Calzada in the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, José Bernal y Velázquez (1710-1782) was a prominent Spanish architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in Madrid, including the Royal Palace of Aranjuez.

The Bernal surname also has a rich history in Latin America, where it was brought by Spanish colonists and immigrants. One notable figure was José María Bernal (1794-1865), a Mexican politician and military leader who served as the Governor of Jalisco during the Mexican-American War.

Another significant bearer of the Bernal name was Marcelino Bernal y Uraga (1842-1904), a Mexican businessman and industrialist who played a crucial role in the development of the mining industry in northern Mexico during the late 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bernal families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bernal 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. Kent leads with 6 Bernals recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.89x.

County Total Index
Kent 6 12.89x
Middlesex 3 2.20x
Worcestershire 3 16.84x
Hampshire 1 3.58x
Surrey 1 1.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bromley in Kent leads with 4 Bernals recorded in 1881 and an index of 563.38x.

Place Total Index
Bromley 4 563.38x
Dudley 3 138.25x
Lewisham 2 80.65x
Bermondsey 1 24.63x
Christchurch 1 163.93x
Islington London 1 7.56x
St George Hanover Square 1 41.67x
Westminster St James 1 71.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Clara 2
Adeline 1
Cabey 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Muriel 1
Sybil 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Ernest 1
Greville 1
Henry 1
Isaac 1
John 1
Thos. 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 Bernal households.

FAQ

Bernal surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bernal surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14 people were recorded with the Bernal surname. That placed it at #31,604 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bernal surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 189 in 2016. That gives Bernal a modern rank of #20,334.

What does the Bernal surname mean?

A Spanish toponymic surname referring to someone from Bernal, a village in Castile, Spain, or any of several other places named Bernal.

What does the Bernal map show?

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