NameCensus.

UK surname

Bernasconi

An Italian surname derived from the given name Bernardo.

In the 1881 census there were 47 people recorded with the Bernasconi surname, ranking it #27,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 136, ranked #25,377, up from #27,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Paddington and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Trafford, Bracknell Forest and Portsmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bernasconi is 147 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 189.4%.

1881 census count

47

Ranked #27,019

Modern count

136

2016, ranked #25,377

Peak year

1999

147 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bernasconi had 47 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016, ranked #25,377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 104 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Bernasconi surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bernasconi surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bernasconi 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 19 #29,904
1861 historical 11 #32,452
1881 historical 47 #27,019
1891 historical 67 #28,424
1901 historical 91 #23,921
1911 historical 104 #22,209
1997 modern 140 #22,031
1998 modern 141 #22,517
1999 modern 147 #22,110
2000 modern 141 #22,648
2001 modern 137 #22,740
2002 modern 132 #23,680
2003 modern 135 #23,155
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 132 #23,623
2006 modern 126 #24,493
2007 modern 127 #24,748
2008 modern 128 #24,901
2009 modern 135 #24,594
2010 modern 137 #24,907
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 138 #24,614
2013 modern 135 #25,395
2014 modern 134 #25,711
2015 modern 136 #25,352
2016 modern 136 #25,377

Geography

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Where Bernasconis are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Paddington, St Marylebone and Childwall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Trafford, Bracknell Forest, Portsmouth, Cornwall and Dudley. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Paddington London (West Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Childwall Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Trafford 020 Trafford
2 Bracknell Forest 008 Bracknell Forest
3 Portsmouth 009 Portsmouth
4 Cornwall 073 Cornwall
5 Dudley 024 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bernasconi

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bernasconi

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Bernasconi surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Bernasconi household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Bernasconi is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bernasconi 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

Bernasconi falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bernasconi is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Bernasconi

The surname Bernasconi originated in Italy, specifically in the northern region of Lombardy, where it has been present since the Middle Ages. The name is believed to have derived from the Italian word "bernesco," meaning someone from the city of Berna (Bern) in Switzerland.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Bernasconi name can be found in a document from the 14th century, which refers to a family living in the town of Argegno, near Lake Como. This document suggests that the Bernasconi family may have originally come from the Bern region of Switzerland before settling in northern Italy.

In the 16th century, a Bernasconi family was documented as living in the village of Castiglione d'Intelvi, also near Lake Como. This branch of the family produced several notable individuals, including Giovanni Battista Bernasconi (1550-1632), a renowned architect who designed several churches and buildings in the region.

Another notable figure was Francesco Bernasconi (1675-1743), a Baroque painter and fresco artist who worked in various churches and palaces throughout northern Italy. His works can be found in cities like Milan, Bergamo, and Brescia.

In the 18th century, the Bernasconi name gained prominence in the field of music. Antonio Bernasconi (1720-1784) was a respected violinist and composer who served as the director of the Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna, one of the oldest music academies in Europe.

Moving into the 19th century, the Bernasconi family continued to make contributions in various fields. Alessandro Bernasconi (1810-1892) was a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Italian parliament and worked to promote the unification of Italy.

Throughout history, the Bernasconi name has been associated with several regions in northern Italy, particularly around Lake Como and the surrounding areas. While the name may have originated from the city of Bern in Switzerland, it has become firmly rooted in Italian culture and tradition over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bernasconi families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bernasconi 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 Bernasconis recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.27x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 15 3.27x
Warwickshire 10 8.65x
Norfolk 6 8.51x
Lancashire 4 0.74x
Surrey 4 1.79x
Leicestershire 3 5.90x
Dorset 2 6.65x
Somerset 2 2.71x
Gloucestershire 1 1.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edgbaston in Warwickshire leads with 8 Bernasconis recorded in 1881 and an index of 223.46x.

Place Total Index
Edgbaston 8 223.46x
Islington London 8 18.01x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 6 1714.29x
Barrow In Furness 4 54.05x
Camberwell 4 13.66x
Acton 3 111.52x
Hinckley 3 247.93x
St Andrew Holborn London 3 151.52x
Aston 2 6.28x
Poole St James 2 176.99x
Wanstrow 2 4000.00x
Charterhouse London 1 454.55x
Kemerton 1 1250.00x

Top female names

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

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 Bernasconi households.

FAQ

Bernasconi surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bernasconi surname in 1881?

In 1881, 47 people were recorded with the Bernasconi surname. That placed it at #27,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bernasconi surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016. That gives Bernasconi a modern rank of #25,377.

What does the Bernasconi surname mean?

An Italian surname derived from the given name Bernardo.

What does the Bernasconi map show?

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