NameCensus.

UK surname

Bernard

A French surname referring to a brave or strong person, derived from the Germanic element "bern" meaning bear.

In the 1881 census there were 1,225 people recorded with the Bernard surname, ranking it #3,307 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,470, ranked #1,955, up from #3,307 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kennoway and Bonnybank, Wolverhampton and Auchtermuchty and Gateside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bernard is 3,581 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 183.3%.

1881 census count

1,225

Ranked #3,307

Modern count

3,470

2016, ranked #1,955

Peak year

2010

3,581 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bernard had 1,225 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,307 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,470 in 2016, ranked #1,955.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,595 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Bernard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bernard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bernard 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 656 #3,955
1861 historical 1,326 #2,161
1881 historical 1,225 #3,307
1891 historical 1,441 #3,036
1901 historical 1,595 #3,238
1911 historical 1,211 #3,895
1997 modern 2,912 #2,221
1998 modern 3,025 #2,229
1999 modern 3,053 #2,215
2000 modern 3,049 #2,206
2001 modern 2,950 #2,233
2002 modern 3,087 #2,179
2003 modern 3,010 #2,181
2004 modern 3,077 #2,137
2005 modern 3,108 #2,075
2006 modern 3,181 #2,051
2007 modern 3,247 #2,036
2008 modern 3,296 #2,028
2009 modern 3,439 #1,986
2010 modern 3,581 #1,944
2011 modern 3,487 #1,966
2012 modern 3,372 #1,998
2013 modern 3,450 #1,987
2014 modern 3,494 #1,976
2015 modern 3,470 #1,966
2016 modern 3,470 #1,955

Geography

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Where Bernards are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Kennoway and Bonnybank, Wolverhampton, Auchtermuchty and Gateside, Lambeth and Manchester. 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 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kennoway and Bonnybank Fife
2 Wolverhampton 035 Wolverhampton
3 Auchtermuchty and Gateside Fife
4 Lambeth 020 Lambeth
5 Manchester 027 Manchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bernard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bernard

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Bernard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Bernard 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Bernard 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

Bernard 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

Bernard falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bernard 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bernard

The surname Bernard has its origins in the Germanic tribes of ancient Europe. It is derived from the Proto-Germanic words 'bern' meaning 'bear' and 'hard' meaning 'brave' or 'hardy'. Together, the name means 'brave as a bear'.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 8th century in the Frankish kingdom of modern-day France and Germany. One of the first documented individuals with this surname was Bernard of Septimania, a Frankish nobleman and military leader who lived from around 795 to 844 AD.

In the Middle Ages, the name Bernard became particularly prevalent in the regions of Normandy and Brittany in northern France. It is believed that the name was brought to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066 by French-Norman settlers.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, includes several references to individuals with the surname Bernard or similar spellings like Bernart and Bernhard.

One of the most famous historical figures with this surname was St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), a French abbot and major leader of the Cistercian monastic order. His writings and sermons had a profound influence on Western Christianity.

Another notable bearer of this name was Claude Bernard (1813-1878), a French physiologist and pioneer in the field of experimental medicine. He is renowned for his groundbreaking work on the function of the pancreas and the glycogenic function of the liver.

In the field of literature, the French writer and dramatist Tristan Bernard (1866-1947) was a prominent figure known for his satirical plays and comedies.

Moving to the 20th century, Pierre Bernard (1875-1955) was a French-American occultist and co-founder of the Tantrik Order, an influential organization that helped popularize yoga and Eastern spiritual practices in the United States.

In the realm of politics, Raymond Bernard (1891-1976) was a French right-wing politician and collaborator with the Vichy regime during World War II.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bernard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bernard 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 270 Bernards recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.23x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 270 2.23x
Lancashire 127 0.88x
Fife 102 14.24x
Clackmannanshire 68 68.07x
Surrey 65 1.10x
Midlothian 56 3.46x
Lanarkshire 44 1.12x
Yorkshire 40 0.33x
Kent 39 0.95x
Gloucestershire 38 1.60x
Essex 28 1.17x
Berkshire 24 2.64x
Devon 21 0.83x
Warwickshire 21 0.69x
Durham 19 0.53x
Channel Islands 18 5.02x
Staffordshire 18 0.44x
West Lothian 18 9.88x
Northumberland 15 0.83x
Kinross-shire 14 45.78x
Shropshire 14 1.34x
Stirlingshire 14 3.14x
Wiltshire 14 1.31x
Sussex 12 0.59x
Glamorgan 11 0.52x
Merionethshire 10 4.52x
Monmouthshire 10 1.14x
Somerset 10 0.51x
Angus 9 0.80x
Dunbartonshire 9 2.77x
Cheshire 8 0.30x
Perthshire 8 1.47x
Lincolnshire 7 0.36x
Norfolk 7 0.38x
Cornwall 6 0.44x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.65x
Hampshire 5 0.20x
Suffolk 5 0.34x
Herefordshire 4 0.81x
Northamptonshire 4 0.35x
Flintshire 3 0.92x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.18x
Bedfordshire 2 0.32x
Derbyshire 2 0.11x
Hertfordshire 2 0.24x
Oxfordshire 2 0.27x
Worcestershire 2 0.13x
Anglesey 1 0.47x
Brecknockshire 1 0.41x
Dorset 1 0.13x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.26x
Westmorland 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clackmannan in Clackmannanshire leads with 49 Bernards recorded in 1881 and an index of 259.53x.

Place Total Index
Clackmannan 49 259.53x
Islington London 32 2.73x
Everton 31 6.78x
St Marylebone London 25 3.87x
St Pancras London 25 2.57x
Dunfermline 24 21.80x
South Leith 23 12.61x
Kensington London 19 2.83x
St George Hanover Square 19 8.92x
Liverpool 17 1.95x
Birmingham 15 1.48x
Tillicoultry 15 67.51x
Beath 14 61.86x
Croydon 14 4.28x
Glasgow 14 2.02x
Mile End Old Town London 14 5.44x
Bristol St James St Paul 13 16.43x
Deptford St Paul 13 4.08x
Shoreditch London 13 2.48x
West Ham 13 2.47x
Hackney London 12 1.77x
Toxteth Park 12 2.47x
Bromley London 11 4.13x
Clerkenwell London 11 3.85x
Kirkcaldy 11 30.98x
Sheffield 11 2.88x
Borthwick 10 138.12x
Dalserf 10 25.61x
Kingston On Thames 10 7.06x
Leslie 10 55.16x
Orwell 10 118.62x
Aberdour 9 124.83x
Bedlington 9 14.98x
Boness 9 35.84x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 9 4.03x
Camberwell 9 1.16x
Dumbarton 9 19.89x
Godstone 9 85.23x
Govan 9 0.93x
Lambeth 9 0.85x
Reading St Mary 9 12.38x
Wardleworth 9 10.97x
Dalkeith 8 25.02x
Huyton With Roby 8 47.56x
Marlborough St Mary Virgin 8 106.10x
St Peter Port 8 12.06x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 1.85x
Torphichen 8 126.18x
Willesden 8 7.02x
Dysart 7 14.52x
Falkirk 7 6.70x
Lee 7 11.68x
Liff Benvie 7 4.12x
Newbottle 7 35.62x
Reading St Giles 7 7.86x
St George Bloomsbury 7 10.09x
St Luke London 7 3.61x
Walcot 7 6.75x
Westminster St John 7 4.75x
Bexley 6 16.44x
Clapham 6 3.97x
Gnosall 6 60.91x
Litherland 6 19.99x
Merthyr Tydfil 6 2.96x
Much Wenlock 6 62.24x
Newbattle 6 43.32x
Sculcoates 6 3.16x
Wanstead 6 14.35x
Westminster St James 6 4.83x
Wigan 6 2.99x
Abdie 5 122.85x
Alva 5 23.50x
Bristol St George 5 4.56x
Chepstow 5 33.58x
Hammersmith London 5 1.68x
Hurst 5 42.09x
Llanycil 5 42.02x
Oldham 5 1.08x
Tottenham 5 2.60x
Walthamstow 5 5.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 45
John 39
Henry 26
Thomas 25
Charles 24
James 20
George 19
Edward 18
Alfred 14
Joseph 8
Richard 8
Walter 8
Arthur 7
Albert 6
Harry 6
Benjamin 5
Ernest 5
Frederick 5
Robert 5
Bernard 4
David 4
Lawrence 4
Philip 4
Samuel 4
Frank 3
Jacob 3
Willm. 3
Alexander 2
Clarence 2
Dennis 2
Enoch 2
Eugene 2
Gerald 2
Harold 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Jean 2
Leonard 2
Louis 2
N. 2
Percy 2
Pierre 2
Stephen 2
Beamish 1
Daniel 1
Denis 1
Ed. 1
Edgar 1
Frederic 1
Wm.R. 1

FAQ

Bernard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bernard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,225 people were recorded with the Bernard surname. That placed it at #3,307 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bernard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,470 in 2016. That gives Bernard a modern rank of #1,955.

What does the Bernard surname mean?

A French surname referring to a brave or strong person, derived from the Germanic element "bern" meaning bear.

What does the Bernard map show?

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