Find out how popular the last name Behrens is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Behrens.

Behrens, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Behrens surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Behrens in America

Behrens is the 3398th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Behrens surname appeared 10,524 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Behrens.

We can also compare 2010 data for Behrens to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Behrens

The surname Behrens is of German origin, emerging in the late medieval period. It is derived from the German word "bahr" or "baer," which means "bear," and was likely initially used as a nickname for someone with bear-like qualities or characteristics. The name may also have been influenced by the Middle Low German word "bere," meaning "bear."

The earliest known recording of the surname Behrens dates back to the 14th century in Northern Germany, particularly in the regions of Lower Saxony and Bremen. It was often spelled as "Behrens," "Behren," or "Beren" in its early forms.

One of the earliest known references to the name Behrens can be found in the Bremisches Urkundenbuch, a collection of historical documents from the city of Bremen, which mentions a man named Hinricus Behrens in 1363.

In the 15th century, the surname Behrens appeared in various records across Northern Germany, including the Lüneburg Salt Books, which documented salt trade transactions. One notable entry from 1472 mentions a merchant named Hans Behrens.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Behrens. One of the earliest was Peter Behrens (1868-1940), a German architect and designer who was a pioneer of modern industrial design and a leading figure in the Jugendstil and Art Nouveau movements.

Another prominent figure was Bertha Behrens (1909-1998), a German-born British author and translator who played a significant role in introducing German literature to English-speaking audiences. She translated works by writers such as Hermann Hesse and Erich Maria Remarque.

In the 20th century, Walter Behrens (1914-1997) was a German artist and sculptor known for his abstract works and participation in the German art movement known as "Art Informel."

Peter von Behrens (1868-1940), a German architect and designer, was a influential figure in the development of modern industrial design and a key figure in the Jugendstil and Art Nouveau movements.

Additionally, Johann Behrens (1805-1873) was a German businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Bremen from 1861 to 1873.

While the surname Behrens has its roots in Northern Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by emigrants and their descendants.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Behrens

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Behrens.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Behrens was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Behrens has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Behrens was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Behrens, please contact us.

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