This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Berns family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Berns Family History

Berns Surname Meaning

Dutch and German: patronymic from the personal name Bern, a variant of Bernd. Latvian: from a short form of the personal name Bernards (see Bernard).

Irish (Kildare): from the Gaelic personal name Ó Broin (see Byrne). English, Scottish, and Irish: variant of Burns.

English: variant of Barnes.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Berns family from?

You can see how Berns families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Berns family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Berns families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 4 Berns families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 33% of all the recorded Berns's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Berns families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Berns surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Berns ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Berns. 19% of Berns men worked as a Farmer and 11% of Berns women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Berns were Salesman and Housewife.

View Census Data for Berns | 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

  • Farmer
    19%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Manager
    6%
  • Salesman
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    11%
  • Teacher
    9%
  • Maid
    9%
  • Housewife
    8%

What Berns family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 12,000 census records available for the last name Berns. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Berns census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Berns

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Berns. 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 Berns immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Berns. For the veterans among your Berns ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Berns military records

You've only scratched the surface of Berns family history

Discover More

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Berns family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial