UK surname
A surname possibly derived from the French place name Berri or Berrye.
In the 1881 census there were 80 people recorded with the Bery surname, ranking it #22,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 35, ranked #35,703, down from #22,225 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Halifax, London parishes and Sherston Magna, Luckington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bery is 413 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 56.3%.
1881 census count
80
Ranked #22,225
Modern count
35
2016, ranked #35,703
Peak year
1861
413 bearers
Map years
3
1851 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Bery surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Bery surname density by area, 1891 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 | 167 | #11,936 |
| 1861 | historical | 413 | #6,216 |
| 1881 | historical | 80 | #22,225 |
| 1891 | historical | 154 | #18,004 |
| 1901 | historical | 57 | #27,846 |
| 1911 | historical | 96 | #23,193 |
| 1997 | modern | 55 | #32,114 |
| 1998 | modern | 47 | #33,197 |
| 1999 | modern | 40 | #33,967 |
| 2000 | modern | 41 | #33,889 |
| 2001 | modern | 34 | #34,356 |
| 2002 | modern | 32 | #34,790 |
| 2003 | modern | 26 | #35,371 |
| 2004 | modern | 27 | #35,444 |
| 2005 | modern | 30 | #35,347 |
| 2006 | modern | 31 | #35,467 |
| 2007 | modern | 29 | #35,725 |
| 2008 | modern | 31 | #35,670 |
| 2009 | modern | 35 | #35,545 |
| 2010 | modern | 35 | #35,676 |
| 2011 | modern | 33 | #35,777 |
| 2012 | modern | 31 | #35,876 |
| 2013 | modern | 33 | #35,808 |
| 2014 | modern | 33 | #35,843 |
| 2015 | modern | 33 | #35,803 |
| 2016 | modern | 35 | #35,703 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Halifax, London parishes, Sherston Magna, Luckington, Eccles and St Dunstan Stepney. 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 | Halifax | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Sherston Magna, Luckington | Wiltshire |
| 4 | Eccles | Lancashire |
| 5 | St Dunstan Stepney | London (East Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Bery 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 Bery, 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 Bery surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Bery 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, Bery 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 Bery is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Bery, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname "BERY" is believed to have originated from the Anglo-Saxon word "berie," which means "berry" or "grove of berry bushes." This name dates back to the early medieval period in England and is thought to have been an occupational name for someone who gathered or sold berries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Berie." This ancient record suggests that the name was present in various regions of England, including Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Berye," "Berie," and "Bery," indicating regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. During this time, the name was often associated with specific locations, such as "de Bery," which likely referred to a person from a place called Berry or a location with a significant berry-growing industry.
Notable historical figures with the surname "BERY" include:
1. Richard de Bery (c. 1285 - c. 1345), an English landowner and knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence. 2. John Bery (c. 1450 - c. 1518), a prominent English merchant and alderman in the City of London. 3. Elizabeth Bery (c. 1570 - c. 1625), an English gentlewoman and poet known for her religious verse. 4. Thomas Bery (c. 1625 - c. 1690), an English Puritan clergyman and author of several theological works. 5. William Bery (c. 1720 - c. 1798), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War.
In addition to these individuals, the name "BERY" has been linked to various place names throughout England, such as Berry Pomeroy in Devon, Berry Hill in Gloucestershire, and Berry Narbor in Somerset. These locations likely derived their names from the abundance of berry bushes or the presence of people with the surname "BERY" in those areas.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bery 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 22 Berys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.92x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 22 | 2.92x |
| Middlesex | 9 | 1.18x |
| Staffordshire | 7 | 2.73x |
| Suffolk | 6 | 6.48x |
| Lancashire | 5 | 0.55x |
| Berkshire | 4 | 7.01x |
| Gloucestershire | 4 | 2.68x |
| Oxfordshire | 4 | 8.51x |
| Kent | 3 | 1.16x |
| Lincolnshire | 3 | 2.47x |
| Monmouthshire | 2 | 3.64x |
| Cumberland | 1 | 1.53x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 0.84x |
| Devon | 1 | 0.63x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 1.91x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.85x |
| Shropshire | 1 | 1.52x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.82x |
| Wiltshire | 1 | 1.49x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 1.01x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Warley in Yorkshire leads with 10 Berys recorded in 1881 and an index of 458.72x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Warley | 10 | 458.72x |
| Rothwell | 7 | 460.53x |
| Eye | 6 | 1000.00x |
| Wednesbury | 5 | 77.88x |
| Gloucester St Nicholas | 4 | 579.71x |
| Wendlebury | 4 | 10000.00x |
| Bourn | 3 | 306.12x |
| Lewisham | 3 | 21.68x |
| Winkfield | 3 | 315.79x |
| Bootle Cum Linacre | 2 | 27.89x |
| Harmondsworth | 2 | 425.53x |
| Monmouth | 2 | 136.99x |
| Sowerby In Halifax | 2 | 81.30x |
| St George In East London | 2 | 27.93x |
| Tettenhall | 2 | 127.39x |
| Arlecdon | 1 | 57.47x |
| Barrow In Furness | 1 | 8.14x |
| Bishops Hull | 1 | 250.00x |
| Bradford | 1 | 5.48x |
| Broxbourne | 1 | 96.15x |
| Chelsea London | 1 | 4.36x |
| Clewer | 1 | 42.74x |
| Damerham | 1 | 625.00x |
| Habergham Eaves | 1 | 12.12x |
| Harrow On The Hill | 1 | 65.79x |
| Hartshead | 1 | 294.12x |
| Leeds | 1 | 2.35x |
| Matlock | 1 | 62.50x |
| Mile End Old Town London | 1 | 6.18x |
| Milson | 1 | 3333.33x |
| Northfield | 1 | 53.19x |
| Plympton St Mary | 1 | 108.70x |
| Sprowston | 1 | 192.31x |
| St Andrew Holborn London | 1 | 30.40x |
| St Clement Danes London | 1 | 63.69x |
| Toxteth Park | 1 | 3.27x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bery 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 Bery 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 Bery households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 15 |
| Ag Lab | 2 |
| Butcher | 2 |
| Coal Miner | 2 |
| Domestic Servant | 2 |
| Wife | 2 |
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Carter | 1 |
| Cashier | 1 |
| Char Woman | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Cotton Reeler | 1 |
| Cotton Weaver | 1 |
| Dock Labourer | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Employed At Home | 1 |
| G Labourer | 1 |
| Gardener | 1 |
| Gas Tube Fi | 1 |
| Gen Lab | 1 |
| Gen Labourer | 1 |
| Gen Serant | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| General Servt | 1 |
| Housekeeper Domestic | 1 |
| Iron Founder | 1 |
| Iron Founders Apprentice | 1 |
| Joiner | 1 |
| Labourer Genrl | 1 |
| Needlewoman | 1 |
| Plasterer | 1 |
| Sister Of Mercy | 1 |
| Tailor & Publican | 1 |
| Tin Plate Worker | 1 |
| Tourist (No Occ) | 1 |
| Woollen Merchant | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 80 people were recorded with the Bery surname. That placed it at #22,225 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 35 in 2016. That gives Bery a modern rank of #35,703.
A surname possibly derived from the French place name Berri or Berrye.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bery 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.