UK surname
A Jewish surname derived from the Yiddish word "ber" meaning bear.
In the 1881 census there were 11 people recorded with the Berson surname, ranking it #32,081 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 17, ranked #36,904, down from #32,081 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Stannington and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Berson is 213 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.5%.
1881 census count
11
Ranked #32,081
Modern count
17
2016, ranked #36,904
Peak year
1861
213 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Berson surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Berson surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 10 | #31,497 |
| 1861 | historical | 213 | #11,419 |
| 1881 | historical | 11 | #32,081 |
| 1891 | historical | 89 | #25,542 |
| 1901 | historical | 43 | #29,380 |
| 1911 | historical | 58 | #27,001 |
| 1997 | modern | 16 | #36,292 |
| 1998 | modern | 15 | #36,457 |
| 1999 | modern | 15 | #36,476 |
| 2000 | modern | 15 | #36,425 |
| 2001 | modern | 14 | #36,372 |
| 2002 | modern | 13 | #36,570 |
| 2003 | modern | 15 | #36,415 |
| 2004 | modern | 15 | #36,530 |
| 2005 | modern | 15 | #36,621 |
| 2006 | modern | 14 | #36,801 |
| 2007 | modern | 12 | #37,095 |
| 2008 | modern | 9 | #37,473 |
| 2009 | modern | 13 | #37,140 |
| 2010 | modern | 16 | #36,937 |
| 2011 | modern | 17 | #36,839 |
| 2012 | modern | 15 | #36,982 |
| 2013 | modern | 15 | #37,046 |
| 2014 | modern | 15 | #37,070 |
| 2015 | modern | 15 | #37,070 |
| 2016 | modern | 17 | #36,904 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Stannington, Manchester, Ipsden and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hull Holy Trinity | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 2 | Stannington | Northumberland |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Ipsden | Oxfordshire |
| 5 | Birmingham Town: Aston | Warwickshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Berson surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Berson, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Berson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Berson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Berson is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Berson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Berson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BERSON is believed to have originated in the German regions of Prussia and Silesia during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old German word "Bero," which means "bear," suggesting that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone with a bear-like appearance or temperament.
One of the earliest recorded references to the BERSON surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Brandenburg region, dated back to the 13th century. This document mentions a person named "Berson de Cottbus," indicating the presence of the name in the town of Cottbus.
In the 16th century, the BERSON name appeared in the records of the city of Nuremberg, where a merchant named Hans BERSON is mentioned in a trade document from 1542. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of Germany by this time.
During the 17th century, the BERSON surname gained prominence in the region of Silesia, now part of Poland. Records show that a family with the name BERSON owned a significant amount of land and held influential positions in the local community.
One notable figure with the BERSON surname was Johann Gottfried BERSON (1701-1776), a German theologian and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of ethics. He was born in Breslau, Silesia (now Wrocław, Poland) and served as a professor at the University of Leipzig.
Another prominent BERSON was Carl Gustav BERSON (1842-1915), a German meteorologist and aeronaut. He was one of the pioneers of scientific ballooning and made significant contributions to the study of atmospheric phenomena. Berson participated in several high-altitude balloon flights and set records for altitude reached.
In the late 19th century, the BERSON name gained prominence in the United States due to immigration from Germany and other parts of Europe. One notable American BERSON was Harry BERSON (1888-1958), a lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut.
Throughout its history, the BERSON surname has been associated with various place names and has undergone slight variations in spelling, such as BERSOHN, BERSOHN, and BERSOHN. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, tracing back to the Old German word "Bero" and its connection to the bear.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Berson surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 5 Bersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.71x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 5 | 4.71x |
| Staffordshire | 4 | 11.05x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.79x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.93x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 5 Bersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 83.33x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Leeds | 5 | 83.33x |
| Kingswinford | 4 | 305.34x |
| St George Hanover Square | 1 | 52.91x |
| Walton On Hill | 1 | 144.93x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Berson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Berson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Berson households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| ((Annuitant)) (Servant Agency) | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Little Sister Of The Poor (Nun) | 1 |
| Sawyer | 1 |
| Watchmaker | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 11 people were recorded with the Berson surname. That placed it at #32,081 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 17 in 2016. That gives Berson a modern rank of #36,904.
A Jewish surname derived from the Yiddish word "ber" meaning bear.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Berson bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.