NameCensus.

UK surname

Bernstein

A Jewish surname derived from the German words "bern" (bear) and "stein" (stone), likely referring to a tough or strong person.

In the 1881 census there were 287 people recorded with the Bernstein surname, ranking it #10,014 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 681, ranked #7,872, up from #10,014 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, St Mary Whitechapel and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet, Sunderland and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bernstein is 1,358 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 137.3%.

1881 census count

287

Ranked #10,014

Modern count

681

2016, ranked #7,872

Peak year

1911

1,358 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bernstein had 287 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,014 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 681 in 2016, ranked #7,872.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,358 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Bernstein surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bernstein surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bernstein 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 24 #29,038
1861 historical 46 #28,170
1881 historical 287 #10,014
1891 historical 587 #6,508
1901 historical 1,261 #3,927
1911 historical 1,358 #3,535
1997 modern 748 #6,898
1998 modern 786 #6,855
1999 modern 770 #6,996
2000 modern 755 #7,066
2001 modern 731 #7,111
2002 modern 729 #7,265
2003 modern 712 #7,279
2004 modern 703 #7,367
2005 modern 697 #7,380
2006 modern 705 #7,312
2007 modern 710 #7,342
2008 modern 693 #7,547
2009 modern 694 #7,690
2010 modern 711 #7,692
2011 modern 688 #7,791
2012 modern 684 #7,749
2013 modern 708 #7,662
2014 modern 693 #7,837
2015 modern 689 #7,817
2016 modern 681 #7,872

Geography

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Where Bernsteins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnet, Sunderland and Camden. 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 St George in the East London (East Districts)
2 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnet 014 Barnet
2 Sunderland 008 Sunderland
3 Barnet 028 Barnet
4 Camden 016 Camden
5 Barnet 037 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bernstein

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bernstein

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Bernstein surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Bernstein 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 are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Bernstein is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bernstein 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

Bernstein falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bernstein 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 Bernstein, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bernstein

The surname Bernstein is of German origin, derived from the words "Bern" meaning bear and "stein" meaning stone, essentially translating to "bear stone" or "bear's den." It is believed to have originated in the Rhineland region of Germany during the Middle Ages.

Bernstein was initially used as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a rock formation or cave that was associated with bears. It may also have been an occupational name for someone who worked with bears, such as a bear hunter or trainer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bernstein can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 12th century. The name is also mentioned in the Annals of Fulda, a historical chronicle written in the 9th century.

In the late 13th century, a nobleman named Rudolf von Bernstein was mentioned in the records of the city of Nürnberg. He was a prominent figure in the region and owned several estates in the area.

During the Renaissance period, a famous Dutch artist named Hieronymus van Bernstein (1518-1592) gained recognition for his paintings and engravings. His works can be found in various museums across Europe.

In the 18th century, a German philosopher and writer named Johann Gottfried Bernstein (1719-1784) made significant contributions to the field of aesthetics and the study of beauty.

Another notable figure was Helene Bernstein (1880-1957), a German-born American author and activist. She was involved in the women's suffrage movement and wrote several books on feminist issues.

The Bernstein name also gained prominence in the field of music with the German-American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), who is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in American classical music.

Throughout history, the surname Bernstein has been found in various regions of Germany, as well as in other parts of Europe and North America, where German immigrants settled. While the spelling may have varied slightly over time, the name has maintained its distinct German origins and associations with bears and stone formations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bernstein families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bernstein 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 150 Bernsteins recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.36x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 150 5.36x
Lancashire 69 2.08x
Yorkshire 23 0.83x
Durham 11 1.32x
Lanarkshire 11 1.21x
Warwickshire 10 1.42x
Lincolnshire 5 1.12x
Staffordshire 2 0.21x
Surrey 2 0.15x
Cheshire 1 0.16x
Hampshire 1 0.17x
Monmouthshire 1 0.49x
Suffolk 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitechapel London in Middlesex leads with 33 Bernsteins recorded in 1881 and an index of 119.57x.

Place Total Index
Whitechapel London 33 119.57x
Bethnal Green London 23 18.91x
Manchester 23 15.40x
Islington London 21 7.74x
Cheetham 19 76.67x
Spitalfields London 16 75.97x
Liverpool 11 5.45x
Birmingham 10 4.25x
Bishopwearmouth 10 13.99x
West Derby 10 10.29x
Mile End Old Town London 9 15.11x
Old Artillery Ground 9 373.44x
Barony 8 3.49x
Bromley London 8 12.99x
Linthorpe 8 48.31x
St Botolph Aldgate London 8 138.65x
Middlesbrough 6 16.61x
St Anne Soho London 6 37.52x
Great Grimsby 5 17.60x
Hackney London 4 2.55x
Leeds 4 2.55x
Govan 3 1.34x
Scarborough 3 11.90x
St Clement Danes London 3 51.81x
St George Bloomsbury 3 18.68x
Toxteth Park 3 2.67x
Everton 2 1.89x
Ratcliffe London 2 12.94x
St George In East London 2 7.60x
St Pancras London 2 0.89x
Wolverhampton 2 2.75x
Abergavenny 1 13.19x
Birkenhead 1 2.03x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.90x
Holy Trinity 1 1.50x
Lambeth 1 0.41x
Manningham 1 2.93x
Newington 1 0.97x
Poplar London 1 1.89x
Portsea 1 0.89x
Stranton 1 3.57x
Woodbridge 1 22.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Joseph 9
Isaac 8
Abraham 6
Moses 6
Samuel 6
David 5
Harris 5
John 5
Henry 4
Morris 4
Solomon 4
Aaron 3
Jacob 3
Julius 3
Simon 3
Bernard 2
Leon 2
Myer 2
Nathan 2
Soloman 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Asher 1
Barnard 1
Barnett 1
Benj. 1
Bernett 1
Davis 1
Elkanah 1
George 1
Gorall 1
Herman 1
Hoolphus 1
Hyman 1
Indah 1
Isidore 1
Israel 1
Juluis 1
Lazans 1
Levy 1
Lewis 1
Mark 1
Marks 1
Martin 1
Maurice 1
Max 1
Michael 1
Montague 1
Moss 1
Yug 1

FAQ

Bernstein surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bernstein surname in 1881?

In 1881, 287 people were recorded with the Bernstein surname. That placed it at #10,014 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bernstein surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 681 in 2016. That gives Bernstein a modern rank of #7,872.

What does the Bernstein surname mean?

A Jewish surname derived from the German words "bern" (bear) and "stein" (stone), likely referring to a tough or strong person.

What does the Bernstein map show?

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