UK surname
In the 1881 census there were 39 people recorded with the Berston surname, ranking it #28,137 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 37, ranked #35,582, down from #28,137 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to South Ronaldsay and Burray, St Werburgh and Duffield (Turnditch), Ashborne (Hulland). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Berston is 130 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.1%.
1881 census count
39
Ranked #28,137
Modern count
37
2016, ranked #35,582
Peak year
1861
130 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Berston surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Berston 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 | 39 | #26,319 |
| 1861 | historical | 130 | #17,164 |
| 1881 | historical | 39 | #28,137 |
| 1891 | historical | 81 | #26,632 |
| 1901 | historical | 49 | #28,696 |
| 1911 | historical | 14 | #32,045 |
| 1997 | modern | 38 | #33,872 |
| 1998 | modern | 36 | #34,246 |
| 1999 | modern | 37 | #34,248 |
| 2000 | modern | 35 | #34,420 |
| 2001 | modern | 34 | #34,356 |
| 2002 | modern | 34 | #34,634 |
| 2003 | modern | 33 | #34,773 |
| 2004 | modern | 34 | #34,868 |
| 2005 | modern | 34 | #35,056 |
| 2006 | modern | 34 | #35,255 |
| 2007 | modern | 35 | #35,347 |
| 2008 | modern | 37 | #35,327 |
| 2009 | modern | 37 | #35,434 |
| 2010 | modern | 38 | #35,514 |
| 2011 | modern | 37 | #35,553 |
| 2012 | modern | 36 | #35,595 |
| 2013 | modern | 34 | #35,761 |
| 2014 | modern | 35 | #35,722 |
| 2015 | modern | 36 | #35,654 |
| 2016 | modern | 37 | #35,582 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around South Ronaldsay and Burray, St Werburgh, Duffield (Turnditch), Ashborne (Hulland), Cross and Burness and Bishop Wearmouth. 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 | South Ronaldsay and Burray | Orkney |
| 2 | St Werburgh | Derbyshire |
| 3 | Duffield (Turnditch), Ashborne (Hulland) | Derbyshire |
| 4 | Cross and Burness | Orkney |
| 5 | Bishop Wearmouth | Durham |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Berston 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 Berston, 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 Berston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Berston 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, Berston 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 Berston is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Berston, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Berston 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. Orkney leads with 30 Berstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 735.29x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Orkney | 30 | 735.29x |
| Herefordshire | 5 | 32.92x |
| Lancashire | 3 | 0.68x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Ronaldshay in Orkney leads with 23 Berstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5476.19x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| South Ronaldshay | 23 | 5476.19x |
| Bromyard | 5 | 2500.00x |
| Hoy Graemsay | 4 | 5000.00x |
| Manchester | 2 | 10.12x |
| Cross Burness N | 1 | 476.19x |
| Firth Stenness | 1 | 588.24x |
| North Meols | 1 | 23.26x |
| Orphir | 1 | 769.23x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Berston 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 Berston 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 Berston households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Foreman Plate Layer | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Mangle Turner | 1 |
| Shop Assistant | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 39 people were recorded with the Berston surname. That placed it at #28,137 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 37 in 2016. That gives Berston a modern rank of #35,582.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Berston 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.