Bergener last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Bergener

A German surname derived from the word "Berger," meaning "someone from the mountains or hills."

Bergener, 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 Bergener surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bergener in America

Bergener is the 62714th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bergener surname appeared 319 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 Bergener.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bergener 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 62714 67522 -7.38%
Count 319 273 15.54%
Proportion per 100k 0.11 0.10 9.52%

The history of the last name Bergener

The surname Bergener originates from the German language, and it can be traced back to the Middle Ages, around the 13th century. The name is believed to have originated in the regions of southern Germany, particularly in the areas surrounding the Bavarian Alps.

The name Bergener is derived from the German word "Berg," which means "mountain" or "hill." It is likely that the surname was initially given to individuals who lived near or worked in the mountainous regions of Germany. Over time, the name evolved into various spellings, including Bergener, Bergner, and Bergenheimer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bergener can be found in the Bavarian archives from the 14th century. The name appears in several historical documents, such as land records and tax registers, indicating that the Bergener family had established roots in the region during that time period.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Hans Bergener (c. 1500-1570) was recorded as a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Augsburg, Bavaria. His legacy as a successful businessman contributed to the spread and recognition of the Bergener name throughout southern Germany.

Another notable individual with this surname was Johann Bergener (1615-1687), a Lutheran theologian and author from Nuremberg, Germany. He published several influential works on theology and religious philosophy, which gained recognition among scholars of his time.

During the 17th century, the Bergener family also established a presence in the regions of Saxony and Thuringia, as evidenced by the birth records of Johann Christoph Bergener (1648-1720), a respected physician and academic from Leipzig.

In the 19th century, the name Bergener gained further prominence with the birth of Karl August Bergener (1836-1903), a renowned German architect who designed several iconic buildings in Berlin and other major cities across Germany.

Another noteworthy figure was Ernst Bergener (1871-1952), a German politician and diplomat who served as the German ambassador to the United States during the early 20th century, playing a crucial role in diplomatic relations between the two countries during a turbulent period in history.

The surname Bergener has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries, from merchants and academics to artists and politicians. While the name has its roots in the mountainous regions of southern Germany, it has since spread across the country and beyond, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural and historical tapestry of Germany and the broader Germanic world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bergener

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

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 Bergener was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 96.87% 309
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 1.57% 5

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 Bergener has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 96.87% 97.80% -0.96%
Black (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 1.57% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Bergener last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 27, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/bergener-surname-popularity/.

"Bergener last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/bergener-surname-popularity/. Accessed 27 July, 2024

Bergener last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/bergener-surname-popularity/.

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