2000
#37,094
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 566
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.21
Rare Last name
Berhe
An Ethiopian surname indicating the bearer's belonging to the Berhe clan or ethnic group.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,158 Americans carry the last name Berhe. That puts it at #15,056 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 158,830 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Berhe 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 Berhe with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.2K
1 in 158,830
Census rank
#15,056
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,882 bearers of the surname Berhe in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15056th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Berhe, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and White (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Berhe
The surname "BERHE" is believed to have originated in Eritrea, a country located in the Horn of Africa. This name is rooted in the Tigrinya language, which is spoken by the Tigrinya people who make up the majority of the population in Eritrea and parts of Ethiopia.
The name "BERHE" is thought to be derived from the Tigrinya word "ber'hi," which means "wide" or "broad." It is likely that this surname was initially given to individuals or families who lived in a particularly wide or expansive area, or perhaps to those who had a broad or sturdy physical stature.
One of the earliest documented references to the name "BERHE" can be found in the chronicles of the Eritrean Orthodox Church, which date back to the 15th century. These chronicles mention several individuals with this surname, suggesting that the name was already established in the region during that time period.
In the 18th century, a notable figure named Wolde Berhe played a significant role in the resistance against the Ottoman Turks' attempts to invade the Eritrean highlands. Wolde Berhe, born in 1732, was a military leader and strategist who helped organize the local militia and successfully defended the region from Ottoman forces.
Another prominent individual with the surname "BERHE" was Tedla Berhe, a renowned Eritrean artist and painter who lived from 1892 to 1975. Tedla Berhe's works, which often depicted scenes from daily life in Eritrea, are celebrated for their vivid colors and intricate details, and are considered an important part of the country's cultural heritage.
In the late 19th century, a man named Gebremichael Berhe (1865-1942) gained recognition for his contributions to the development of modern Tigrinya literature. He authored several books and translated works from other languages into Tigrinya, helping to promote and preserve the language and its literary traditions.
During the Italian occupation of Eritrea in the early 20th century, a woman named Lemlem Berhe (1905-1987) became a prominent figure in the resistance movement against the Italian colonial rule. She played a crucial role in organizing and supporting the guerrilla fighters, and her efforts were instrumental in Eritrea's eventual independence from Italian control.
Throughout its history, the surname "BERHE" has been associated with various places and regions within Eritrea, such as the cities of Asmara, Keren, and Massawa, as well as the highlands and rural areas where many Tigrinya speakers have traditionally resided.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Berhe
Among Census respondents with the surname Berhe, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and White (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Berhe 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 Berhe surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American95.9% · 1,804
- Two or more races1.8% · 34
- White1.3% · 24
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 17
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Berhe
Berhe 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
#25,430
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 973
+407 bearers (+71.9%)
Per 100,000 0.33
Rank movement Up 11,664 places
2020
#15,056
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,882
+909 bearers (+93.4%)
Per 100,000 0.63
Rank movement Up 10,374 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #37,094 | 566 | 0.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #25,430 | 973 | 0.33 | +407 bearers (+71.9%) | Up 11,664 places |
| 2020 | #15,056 | 1,882 | 0.63 | +909 bearers (+93.4%) | Up 10,374 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 Berhe 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 | #25,430 | #15,056 | 40.8% |
| Count | 973 | 1,882 | 93.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.33 | 0.63 | 90.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Berhe bearers went from 973 to 1,882 (+93.4% change). The surname moved up 10,374 positions in the national ranking, going from #25,430 to #15,056.
FAQ
Berhe surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Berhe?
Name Census estimates that about 2,158 living Americans carry the surname Berhe. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 158,830 residents.
How common is Berhe?
Berhe ranks #15,056 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.63 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 1,882 people with the surname Berhe. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,158), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.63 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.63 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 Berhe.
Has Berhe become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Berhe went from 973 recorded bearers to 1,882. That is an increase of 909 (+93.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #25,430 to #15,056.
What does the Census say about the background of Berhe?
Among Census respondents with the surname Berhe, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.8%) and White (1.3%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Berhe in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.9% (1,804 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Berhe appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (95.9%), Two or More Races (1.8%), White (1.3%). 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 Berhe (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 Berhe mean?
An Ethiopian surname indicating the bearer's belonging to the Berhe clan or ethnic group. 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 Berhe (0.63 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 have the surname Berhe?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.