NameCensus.

UK surname

Berni

A Catalan surname derived from the term for person from the Pyrenees mountain region.

In the 1881 census there were 6 people recorded with the Berni surname, ranking it #32,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 118, ranked #27,873, up from #32,926 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Berni is 134 in 2005. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1866.7%.

1881 census count

6

Ranked #32,926

Modern count

118

2016, ranked #27,873

Peak year

2005

134 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Berni had 6 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016, ranked #27,873.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 38 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Berni surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Berni surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Berni 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 4 #32,658
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 6 #32,926
1891 historical 14 #33,037
1901 historical 23 #31,466
1911 historical 38 #29,147
1997 modern 123 #23,792
1998 modern 119 #24,918
1999 modern 132 #23,602
2000 modern 126 #24,220
2001 modern 126 #23,883
2002 modern 129 #24,021
2003 modern 132 #23,459
2004 modern 130 #23,902
2005 modern 134 #23,406
2006 modern 129 #24,165
2007 modern 128 #24,632
2008 modern 125 #25,249
2009 modern 122 #26,220
2010 modern 121 #27,005
2011 modern 123 #26,512
2012 modern 124 #26,432
2013 modern 124 #26,842
2014 modern 127 #26,634
2015 modern 125 #26,808
2016 modern 118 #27,873

Geography

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Where Bernis 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 Neath Port Talbot and The Vale of Glamorgan. 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 Neath Port Talbot 006 Neath Port Talbot
2 The Vale of Glamorgan 006 Vale of Glamorgan
3 Neath Port Talbot 018 Neath Port Talbot
4 Neath Port Talbot 017 Neath Port Talbot
5 Neath Port Talbot 007 Neath Port Talbot

Forenames

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First names often paired with Berni

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

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Berni is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Berni 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

Berni falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Berni 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Berni

The surname BERNI originated in Italy during the medieval period. Its earliest roots can be traced back to the northern Italian region of Piedmont, where it was derived from the medieval Italian word "berna," meaning "rocky crag" or "rocky hill." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or on a rocky hillside.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BERNI can be found in the 13th-century Florentine manuscript "Libro di Montaperti," which documents the events surrounding the Battle of Montaperti in 1260. The manuscript mentions a soldier named Berni who fought for the Ghibelline forces in this pivotal clash between the Guelphs and Ghibellines.

In the 14th century, the name BERNI was associated with the town of Bibbiena in Tuscany, where a noble family bearing the surname resided. One notable member of this family was Francesco Berni, a celebrated 16th-century poet and satirist known for his satirical works, such as "Rime Burlesche" and his burlesque revision of Matteo Maria Boiardo's epic poem "Orlando Innamorato."

Another prominent figure with the surname BERNI was the 16th-century Italian architect and engineer Giovanni Berni (1497-1557). He is best known for his work on the fortifications of several Italian cities, including Siena, Florence, and Casale Monferrato.

During the Renaissance period, the BERNI surname also appeared in Venice, where a notable family of merchants and diplomats resided. One member of this family, Antonio Berni (1516-1594), served as the Venetian ambassador to England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the name BERNI was associated with the town of Prato, near Florence. A prominent figure from this era was Francesco Berni (1618-1689), a Jesuit priest and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of logic and metaphysics.

Throughout its history, the surname BERNI has been found in various regions of Italy, including Piedmont, Tuscany, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna, reflecting the widespread distribution of this name across the Italian peninsula.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Berni families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Berni 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 6 Bernis recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.27x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 6 10.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 4 Bernis recorded in 1881 and an index of 121.95x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 4 121.95x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 400.00x
St George Hanover Square 1 97.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 1
Florence 1
Minnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Antonio 1
Luiczi 1
William 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 Berni households.

FAQ

Berni surname: questions and answers

How common was the Berni surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6 people were recorded with the Berni surname. That placed it at #32,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Berni surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016. That gives Berni a modern rank of #27,873.

What does the Berni surname mean?

A Catalan surname derived from the term for person from the Pyrenees mountain region.

What does the Berni map show?

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