NameCensus.

UK surname

Bernardo

An Italian surname derived from the Germanic name Bernhard, meaning "brave bear" or "hardy bear."

In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Bernardo surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 289, ranked #15,137, up from #33,498 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Kilbirnie South and Longbar and Cheshire West and Chester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bernardo is 297 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9533.3%.

1881 census count

3

Ranked #33,498

Modern count

289

2016, ranked #15,137

Peak year

2015

297 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bernardo had 3 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,498 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 289 in 2016, ranked #15,137.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 12 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Bernardo surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bernardo surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bernardo 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1881 historical 3 #33,498
1891 historical 10 #33,355
1901 historical 12 #32,772
1911 historical 12 #32,302
1997 modern 99 #27,039
1998 modern 113 #25,731
1999 modern 126 #24,239
2000 modern 119 #25,072
2001 modern 115 #25,222
2002 modern 135 #23,398
2003 modern 152 #21,486
2004 modern 170 #20,146
2005 modern 183 #19,194
2006 modern 200 #18,294
2007 modern 211 #17,856
2008 modern 220 #17,544
2009 modern 236 #17,103
2010 modern 256 #16,523
2011 modern 249 #16,684
2012 modern 277 #15,375
2013 modern 272 #15,836
2014 modern 294 #15,047
2015 modern 297 #14,863
2016 modern 289 #15,137

Geography

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Where Bernardos 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 Kensington and Chelsea, Kilbirnie South and Longbar, Cheshire West and Chester, Wychavon and Kilbirnie North. 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 Kensington and Chelsea 001 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Kilbirnie South and Longbar North Ayrshire
3 Cheshire West and Chester 021 Cheshire West and Chester
4 Wychavon 017 Wychavon
5 Kilbirnie North North Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bernardo

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bernardo

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

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Bernardo surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Bernardo 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 younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

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, Bernardo 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

Bernardo 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

Bernardo 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 Bernardo 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 Bernardo, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bernardo

The surname Bernardo has its origins in Italy, emerging during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the personal name Bernardo, which traces its roots to the Germanic words "bern" meaning "bear" and "hard" signifying "brave" or "hardy." This name was particularly popular among the Lombards, a Germanic people who ruled a significant portion of Italy from the 6th to the 8th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Bernardo can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Benedictine monastery of Cava dei Tirreni in southern Italy, dating back to the 9th century. The name also appears in various other historical records from the region, such as the Chronicon Vulturnense, a chronicle of the Abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno, which mentions a certain Bernardo di Capua in the 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Bernardo was particularly concentrated in the regions of Lombardy, Tuscany, and Campania. It was often associated with noble families and landowners, as evidenced by the presence of place names like Bernardo di Monte Rubiano, referring to a village near Parma, and Bernardo di Castelvetere, a town in the province of Benevento.

One notable figure bearing the surname Bernardo was Bernardo Tolomei (1272-1348), an Italian jurist and founder of the Olivetan Benedictine monastic order. Another prominent individual was Bernardo Buontalenti (1536-1608), an Italian architect and military engineer who designed the Palazzo Non Finito in Florence and worked on the fortifications of several Italian cities.

In the world of literature, the name Bernardo is associated with the 16th-century poet and playwright Bernardo Tasso (1493-1569), the father of the renowned epic poet Torquato Tasso. Another notable bearer of the surname was Bernardo Bellincioni (1452-1492), an Italian poet and chronicler who served as a courtier to the House of Sforza in Milan.

Bernardo Accolti (1465-1536), an Italian jurist and historian, is also remembered for his work "De Bello a Christianis contra Barbaros gesto" (On the War Waged by Christians against Barbarians), which recounts the successful defense of the island of Rhodes against the Ottoman Turks in 1522.

While the surname Bernardo has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply intertwined with the rich tapestry of Italian history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bernardo families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bernardo 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 2 Bernardos recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.84x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 2 6.84x
Glamorgan 1 19.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cardiff St Mary in Glamorgan leads with 1 Bernardos recorded in 1881 and an index of 357.14x.

Place Total Index
Cardiff St Mary 1 357.14x
Paddington London 1 93.46x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 769.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Bozzo 1
Pangoni 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 Bernardo households.

FAQ

Bernardo surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bernardo surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Bernardo surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bernardo surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 289 in 2016. That gives Bernardo a modern rank of #15,137.

What does the Bernardo surname mean?

An Italian surname derived from the Germanic name Bernhard, meaning "brave bear" or "hardy bear."

What does the Bernardo map show?

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