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Bernstein Family History

Bernstein Surname Meaning

Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Bernstein ‘amber’ (from Middle Low German bernen ‘to burn’ + stēn ‘stone’; it was thought to be created by burning although it is in fact fossilized pine resin).

German: habitational name from a place called Bernstein of which there is one example in Bavaria and another in what used to be East Prussia (now Pełczyce in northwestern Poland).

Both of these probably get their German names from the notion of a ‘burnt stone’ for example in brick making rather than from the usual modern meaning ‘amber’.

The name may also be derived from Bärenstein a common field and placename especially in Bavaria and Austria.

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): in some cases perhaps a metonymic occupational name for a craftsman or dealer in amber.

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


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Where is the Bernstein family from?

You can see how Bernstein families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bernstein family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1871 and 1920. The most Bernstein families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 605 Bernstein families living in New York. This was about 55% of all the recorded Bernstein's in USA. New York had the highest population of Bernstein families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bernstein surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Bernstein ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Salesman and Bookkeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bernstein. 19% of Bernstein men worked as a Salesman and 10% of Bernstein women worked as a Bookkeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bernstein were Manager and Housewife.

View Census Data for Bernstein | 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
    19%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Proprietor
    6%
  • Manager
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Bookkeeper
    10%
  • Stenographer
    10%
  • Saleslady
    10%
  • Housewife
    7%

What Bernstein family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 107,000 census records available for the last name Bernstein. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bernstein census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Bernstein

Passenger Lists

There are 42,000 immigration records available for the last name Bernstein. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 19,000 military records available for the last name Bernstein. For the veterans among your Bernstein ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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