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Bernhard Family History

Bernhard Surname Meaning

German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the ancient Germanic personal name Bernhard composed of the elements ber(n) ‘bear’ + hard ‘brave, hardy, strong’. As a Jewish name, this is an adoption of the German name because it has the same beginning as the Jewish name Ber.

The surname of German origin is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine). See also Bernard, compare Barnard, Barnhard, Barnhart, and Bernhardt.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Bernhard family from?

You can see how Bernhard families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bernhard family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bernhard families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 4 Bernhard families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 80% of all the recorded Bernhard's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Bernhard families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bernhard surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Bernhard ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bernhard. 10% of Bernhard men worked as a Salesman and 9% of Bernhard women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bernhard were Clerk and Teacher.

View Census Data for Bernhard | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Salesman
    10%
  • Laborer
    9%
  • Farmer
    8%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    9%
  • Clerk
    9%
  • Saleslady
    8%
  • Teacher
    8%

What Bernhard family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 28,000 census records available for the last name Bernhard. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bernhard census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Bernhard

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Bernhard. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Bernhard immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 32,000 military records available for the last name Bernhard. For the veterans among your Bernhard ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bernhard military records

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