NameCensus.

UK surname

Bernhardt

A German surname derived from the personal name Bernhard, meaning "strong or brave as a bear."

In the 1881 census there were 48 people recorded with the Bernhardt surname, ranking it #26,869 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 155, ranked #23,197, up from #26,869 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brighton and Hove, Arun and Waverley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bernhardt is 160 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 222.9%.

1881 census count

48

Ranked #26,869

Modern count

155

2016, ranked #23,197

Peak year

2015

160 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bernhardt had 48 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,869 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016, ranked #23,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 88 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Bernhardt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bernhardt surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bernhardt 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 2 #33,133
1861 historical 7 #33,053
1881 historical 48 #26,869
1891 historical 68 #28,300
1901 historical 60 #27,502
1911 historical 88 #24,041
1997 modern 132 #22,821
1998 modern 139 #22,720
1999 modern 144 #22,405
2000 modern 148 #21,971
2001 modern 143 #22,133
2002 modern 146 #22,302
2003 modern 134 #23,260
2004 modern 135 #23,326
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 123 #24,873
2007 modern 128 #24,632
2008 modern 123 #25,505
2009 modern 128 #25,427
2010 modern 144 #24,147
2011 modern 153 #22,996
2012 modern 150 #23,264
2013 modern 156 #23,004
2014 modern 156 #23,231
2015 modern 160 #22,701
2016 modern 155 #23,197

Geography

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Where Bernhardts 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 Brighton and Hove, Arun, Waverley, Haringey and Sefton. 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 Brighton and Hove 026 Brighton and Hove
2 Arun 013 Arun
3 Waverley 001 Waverley
4 Haringey 018 Haringey
5 Sefton 004 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bernhardt

These lists show first names that appear often with the Bernhardt 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 Bernhardt

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Bernhardt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bernhardt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bernhardt is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bernhardt 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

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

Meaning and origin of Bernhardt

The surname Bernhardt is of German origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Germanic personal name Bernhard, which is composed of the elements "bern" meaning bear and "hard" meaning brave or hardy. This name was originally a descriptive nickname given to someone who was considered brave or hardy like a bear.

In its earliest form, the surname was spelled as "Bernhart" or "Bernhard". It first appeared in various historical records and manuscripts from the 12th and 13th centuries. One of the earliest known bearers of this name was Bernhard von Clairvaux, a French abbot and monastic reformer who lived from 1090 to 1153.

The Bernhardt surname can be found in various medieval charters and documents from regions such as Bavaria, Saxony, and Franconia in Germany. It was also present in the Domesday Book, a famous medieval census compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, which recorded landholders in England after the Norman Conquest.

Over time, the name evolved into various spellings, such as Bernhard, Bernhardt, and Bernhart, with the modern spelling "Bernhardt" becoming more common in the 18th and 19th centuries. Notable historical figures with this surname include Theodor von Bernhardi (1802-1887), a Prussian military theorist, and Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923), a famous French actress.

Other prominent individuals with the Bernhardt surname include Heinrich Bernhardt (1608-1684), a German composer and organist, Karl Bernhardt (1838-1923), a German landscape painter, and Hans Bernhardt (1888-1942), a German naval officer and U-boat commander during World War I. Additionally, Georg Bernhardt (1892-1963) was a German physicist known for his contributions to the development of radar technology.

The Bernhardt surname has a rich history dating back to medieval times, originating from a descriptive nickname that became a hereditary surname. Over the centuries, it has been carried by notable individuals from various fields, reflecting its enduring presence across different regions and cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bernhardt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bernhardt 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 21 Bernhardts recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.49x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 21 4.49x
Surrey 8 3.51x
Lanarkshire 5 3.30x
Lancashire 5 0.90x
Cheshire 4 3.87x
Buckinghamshire 1 3.53x
Gloucestershire 1 1.09x
Midlothian 1 1.59x
Sussex 1 1.27x
Yorkshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 7 Bernhardts recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.43x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 7 34.43x
Barony 5 13.05x
St Marylebone London 5 20.01x
Camberwell 4 13.38x
Bermondsey 3 21.54x
Mile End Old Town London 3 30.12x
Moss Side 3 102.74x
Chester St John Baptist 2 107.53x
Chester St Mary On Hill 2 224.72x
Pilkington 2 94.79x
Blaisdon 1 3333.33x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 3.97x
Farnham Royal 1 588.24x
Headingley Cum Burley 1 33.44x
Islington London 1 2.20x
Lambeth 1 2.45x
Limehouse London 1 19.46x
Rotherfield 1 144.93x
St Clement Danes London 1 103.09x
St George Hanover Square 1 12.12x
St Pancras London 1 2.65x
Westminster St James 1 20.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 4
George 2
Jacob 2
Otto 2
William 2
Albert 1
August 1
Carlyle 1
Charles 1
Christian 1
Edwd. 1
Modechai 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 Bernhardt households.

FAQ

Bernhardt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bernhardt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 48 people were recorded with the Bernhardt surname. That placed it at #26,869 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bernhardt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016. That gives Bernhardt a modern rank of #23,197.

What does the Bernhardt surname mean?

A German surname derived from the personal name Bernhard, meaning "strong or brave as a bear."

What does the Bernhardt map show?

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