2000
#8,030
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,810
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.41
Rare Last name
Bergin
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Beirgin, meaning "descendant of Beirgin," a diminutive of the byname Bearg, meaning "spear" or "soldier."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,306 Americans carry the last name Bergin. That puts it at #8,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.26 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 79,599 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bergin surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bergin with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.3K
1 in 79,599
Census rank
#8,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,755 bearers of the surname Bergin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.26 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bergin, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bergin
The surname Bergin is believed to have originated in Ireland, with its roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "beargain," which means "little hill" or "sharp-pointed hill." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived near or on a small hill.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bergin can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The name appears in the annals as "O'Beargain," referring to a prominent family from County Longford.
In the 16th century, the name Bergin was also found in various legal and administrative records in Ireland, often spelled as "Bergyn" or "Bergan." This variation in spelling was common during that time, as standardized spelling conventions were not yet widely adopted.
One notable historical figure with the surname Bergin was John Bergin, an Irish Catholic priest and historian who lived from 1707 to 1770. He is known for his work "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," which chronicled the history of the Catholic Church in Ireland.
Another significant figure was Michael Bergin, an Irish politician and Member of Parliament who lived from 1836 to 1907. He was a prominent member of the Irish Parliamentary Party and played a crucial role in advocating for Irish Home Rule.
In the literary world, Nora Bergin (1905-1976) was an Irish novelist and short story writer known for her works exploring themes of rural Irish life. Her novel "The Capuchins" was a notable success and received critical acclaim.
Turning to the world of sports, Paddy Bergin (1919-2007) was an Irish hurler who played for the Kilkenny senior team and was part of the All-Ireland winning team in 1947.
Finally, in more recent times, Jonathan Bergin (born 1976) is an Irish actor best known for his roles in television series such as "Vikings" and "Outlander."
While the surname Bergin has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to Irish emigration over the centuries. However, its origins can be traced back to the Gaelic word "beargain," reflecting the connection to the landscape and geography of Ireland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bergin
Among Census respondents with the surname Bergin, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Bergin bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Bergin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.3% · 3,505
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 114
- Two or more races2.1% · 77
- Black or African American0.7% · 28
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 27
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bergin
Bergin appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#8,291
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,996
+186 bearers (+4.9%)
Per 100,000 1.35
Rank movement Down 261 places
2020
#8,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,755
-241 bearers (-6.0%)
Per 100,000 1.26
Rank movement Down 155 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,030 | 3,810 | 1.41 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,291 | 3,996 | 1.35 | +186 bearers (+4.9%) | Down 261 places |
| 2020 | #8,446 | 3,755 | 1.26 | -241 bearers (-6.0%) | Down 155 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Bergin surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,291 | #8,446 | -1.9% |
| Count | 3,996 | 3,755 | -6.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.35 | 1.26 | -6.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bergin bearers went from 3,996 to 3,755 (-6.0% change). The surname moved down 155 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,291 to #8,446.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bergin
FAQ
Bergin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bergin?
Name Census estimates that about 4,306 living Americans carry the surname Bergin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 79,599 residents.
How common is Bergin?
Bergin ranks #8,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.26 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,755 people with the surname Bergin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,306), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.26 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.26 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Bergin.
Has Bergin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bergin went from 3,996 recorded bearers to 3,755. That is a decrease of 241 (-6.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,291 to #8,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Bergin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bergin, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bergin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.3% (3,505 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bergin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.3%), Hispanic (3.0%), Two or More Races (2.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Bergin (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Bergin mean?
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Beirgin, meaning "descendant of Beirgin," a diminutive of the byname Bearg, meaning "spear" or "soldier." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Bergin (1.26 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Bergin?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Bergin, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.