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

Beren, 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 Beren surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beren in America

Beren is the 78821st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beren surname appeared 242 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Beren.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beren 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 Beren

The surname Beren is believed to have originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "bero," meaning "bear." This suggests that the name might have initially referred to someone who was associated with bears or possessed bear-like qualities, such as strength or ferocity.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Beren can be found in the Codex Falkensteinensis, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 12th century. This document mentions a nobleman named Beren von Falkenstein, who lived in the region of Saxony.

In the 13th century, there are records of a knight named Beren von Regensburg, who fought in the Crusades and is said to have accompanied Emperor Frederick II on his expedition to the Holy Land in 1228.

The name Beren also appeared in various other historical documents throughout the Middle Ages, such as the Annales Fuldenses, a chronicle written by the monks of Fulda Abbey in the 9th century, which mentions a cleric named Beren who was active in the region of Hesse.

During the Renaissance period, the name Beren gained some prominence in artistic circles. One notable bearer of this surname was the German painter and engraver Albrecht Beren (c. 1510-1580), who was known for his intricate woodcuts and etchings depicting religious and mythological scenes.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure named Johann Beren (1625-1691) was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the rector of the University of Leipzig. His writings on theology and philosophy were widely influential during his time.

As the centuries passed, the name Beren continued to be found in various regions of Germany and other parts of Europe. Some variations in spelling, such as Behrens and Berens, also emerged over time.

While the surname Beren may not be as common as some other German names, it has a rich history and heritage that can be traced back to the medieval period and beyond. The name's connection to the bear, a powerful and revered animal in Germanic folklore, adds an interesting layer of symbolism to its origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beren

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

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 Beren 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 Beren 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 Beren was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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