Bernas last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Bernas

Likely derived from the Greek word "bernikos," meaning of Syrian origin.

Bernas, 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 Bernas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bernas in America

Bernas is the 33596th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bernas surname appeared 678 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 Bernas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bernas 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank33596325293.23%
Count6786661.79%
Proportion per 100k0.230.25-8.33%

The history of the last name Bernas

The surname BERNAS is of Polish origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Old Polish word "biernat," which means "he who is strong and powerful." This name was likely given to individuals who possessed remarkable physical strength or were known for their bravery and courage in battle.

BERNAS is believed to have originated from the region of Masovia, located in central Poland. This area was historically known for its agricultural communities and fertile lands, where families with this surname may have worked as farmers or landowners.

One of the earliest recorded references to the BERNAS name can be found in the church records of the village of Wyszkow, near Warsaw, dating back to the late 16th century. These records mention a certain Jan Bernas, who was a local landowner and respected member of the community.

In the 17th century, the BERNAS name gained prominence when Jakub Bernas (1590-1657), a renowned Polish military commander, led several successful campaigns against the Swedish forces during the Polish-Swedish War. His bravery and strategic skills earned him a reputation as one of the most celebrated military leaders of his time.

Another notable figure with this surname was Franciszek Bernas (1732-1798), a Polish writer and philosopher who made significant contributions to the Enlightenment movement in Poland. His works, which explored topics such as education, morality, and social reform, were widely read and influential during his era.

In the 19th century, the BERNAS name continued to be associated with notable individuals, including Józef Bernas (1805-1878), a prominent Polish architect who designed several landmark buildings in Warsaw, including the Grand Theatre and the Zamoyski Palace.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the BERNAS surname also gained recognition in the field of science. Antoni Bernas (1867-1942) was a Polish botanist and professor at the University of Warsaw, known for his research on plant morphology and taxonomy.

Another distinguished bearer of the BERNAS name was Kazimierz Bernas (1892-1965), a Polish artist and sculptor who was celebrated for his monumental public works and sculptures adorning many cities across Poland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bernas

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

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 Bernas was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only78.17%530
Non-Hispanic Black Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only18.73%127
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races1.77%12
Hispanic Origin1.18%8

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

20102000Change (%)
White78.17%82.58%-5.49%
Black(S)%(S)%(S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander18.73%14.86%23.04%
American Indian and Alaskan Native(S)%0.00%(S)%
Two or More Races1.77%(S)%(S)%
Hispanic1.18%1.65%-33.22%

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

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

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