2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Bernacet
A French surname derived from the word "bernache" meaning wild goose or barnacle goose.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Bernacet. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bernacet 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.
Bearers in the US
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Bernacet in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bernacet, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.9%. The next largest groups are White (6.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bernacet
The surname Bernacet has its origins in France, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from the French word "bernac," which referred to a hunting horn or bugle. The name suggests an ancestral connection to someone who played or crafted these instruments.
The Bernacet family was likely concentrated in the southern regions of France, particularly Languedoc and Provence, where the name appears in historical records dating back to the 13th century. Variations of the spelling, such as Bernaquet and Bernacquet, were also found in these areas.
One of the earliest known references to the name Bernacet can be found in a 1287 tax record from the town of Nîmes, which mentions a "Pierre Bernacet" among the townspeople. Additionally, a 1342 census in Marseille lists a "Guillaume Bernacet" as a resident.
In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the Bernacet name was Jacques Bernacet, a skilled metalsmith and horn maker who lived in Montpellier from 1428 to 1492. His legacy as a renowned craftsman likely contributed to the perpetuation of the surname in the region.
Another prominent individual was Étienne Bernacet (1592-1652), a philosopher and theologian from Avignon, who authored several influential works on ethics and moral philosophy during the Renaissance period.
As the Bernacet family expanded and migrated, the name appeared in various regions of France, including Brittany, where a branch of the family settled in the 17th century. One noteworthy figure from this lineage was François Bernacet (1631-1701), a merchant and entrepreneur who established a successful trading company in Rennes.
In the late 18th century, during the French Revolution, a prominent military leader named Pierre-Louis Bernacet (1756-1821) gained recognition for his bravery and strategic prowess in the revolutionary wars against the European monarchies.
Over the centuries, the Bernacet surname has maintained a strong presence in France, particularly in the southern regions, where it originated. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation, its roots remain deeply embedded in the rich cultural heritage of the French countryside and its historical associations with the crafting of hunting horns and bugles.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bernacet
Among Census respondents with the surname Bernacet, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.9%. The next largest groups are White (6.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bernacet 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 Bernacet surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino87.9% · 94
- White6.5% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bernacet
Bernacet appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+4 bearers (+3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,595 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.9%) | Up 5,595 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 Bernacet 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 | #157,234 | #151,639 | 3.6% |
| Count | 103 | 107 | 3.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 19.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bernacet bearers went from 103 to 107 (+3.9% change). The surname moved up 5,595 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #151,639.
FAQ
Bernacet surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bernacet?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Bernacet. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Bernacet?
Bernacet ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Bernacet. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Bernacet.
Has Bernacet become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bernacet went from 103 recorded bearers to 107. That is an increase of 4 (+3.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Bernacet?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bernacet, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.9%. The next largest groups are White (6.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bernacet in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.9% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bernacet appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (87.9%), White (6.5%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.9%). 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 Bernacet (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 Bernacet mean?
A French surname derived from the word "bernache" meaning wild goose or barnacle goose. 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 Bernacet (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Bernacet?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.