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

Berens, 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 Berens surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Berens in America

Berens is the 9421st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Berens surname appeared 3,452 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Berens.

We can also compare 2010 data for Berens 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 Berens

The surname Berens is of German origin and dates back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated from the Low German or Dutch word "beren," meaning "bear." The name is thought to have been initially used as a nickname for someone with a strong, bear-like physique or temperament.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Berens surname can be found in the German city of Hannover in the late 14th century. During this time, the name appeared in various municipal records and legal documents with different spellings, such as Beren, Berne, and Berens.

In the 16th century, the Berens family gained prominence in the region of East Prussia, which is now part of modern-day Poland and Russia. Several members of the family served as local officials and landowners during this period. Notably, Hans Berens (1525-1592) was a respected magistrate and judge in the city of Königsberg.

The Berens surname also has a long history in the Netherlands, where it can be traced back to the 17th century. One notable bearer of the name was Dirck Berens (1590-1648), a Dutch merchant and trader who played a significant role in the establishment of the Dutch East India Company.

In the late 18th century, a branch of the Berens family migrated to England, where they established themselves as successful bankers and businessmen. One of the most prominent figures of this era was Alexander Berens (1765-1833), a wealthy merchant and banker who served as the governor of the Bank of England from 1815 to 1816.

Another notable individual with the Berens surname was Wilhelm Berens (1786-1850), a German philosopher and educator who made significant contributions to the field of pedagogy. His works, such as "The Principles of the Art of Teaching" (1835), were widely influential in the 19th century.

In the 20th century, the name Berens gained further recognition with individuals like Günther Berens (1919-2007), a German actor and film director who appeared in numerous films and television productions throughout his career.

Throughout history, the Berens surname has been associated with various locations and place names, including Berensdorf, a village in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, and Berensberg, a hill in the Dutch province of Limburg.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Berens

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

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

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

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