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

Bering, 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 Bering surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bering in America

Bering is the 46487th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bering surname appeared 458 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 Bering.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bering 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 Bering

The surname Bering originates from Denmark and is believed to have emerged in the late 15th century. It is derived from the Old Norse word "bera," which means "to bear" or "to carry," suggesting a possible occupational origin for those who worked as bearers or porters.

The earliest known record of the name Bering dates back to the late 16th century, when it appears in the Danish census records of the time. One notable example is Hans Bering, a merchant born in Copenhagen in 1570.

The name Bering gained significant prominence in the 18th century with the explorations of Vitus Jonassen Bering, a Danish navigator and explorer born in 1681. Bering led the Great Northern Expedition, also known as the Second Kamchatka Expedition, which resulted in the discovery of the Bering Strait and the exploration of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. The Bering Sea and the Bering Strait were named after him in recognition of his achievements.

Another notable figure with the surname Bering was Vitus Bering, a Danish naval officer and explorer born in 1617. He participated in several expeditions to the Arctic region and is credited with the discovery of the East Siberian Sea.

In the 19th century, Carl Bering, a Danish architect born in 1817, made significant contributions to the architectural landscape of Copenhagen. He designed several notable buildings, including the Copenhagen City Hall and the Christiansborg Palace.

During the same period, Vitus Bering, a Danish military officer and explorer born in 1805, led expeditions to Greenland and the Arctic regions, further expanding the legacy of the Bering name in the field of exploration.

While the surname Bering has its roots in Denmark, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and exploration. The name continues to be associated with a rich history of seafaring, exploration, and contributions to various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bering

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

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

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

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