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

Bernat, 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 Bernat surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bernat in America

Bernat is the 18253rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bernat surname appeared 1,522 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bernat.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bernat 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 Bernat

The surname Bernat originates from Catalonia, an autonomous community in Spain. It is believed to have derived from the ancient Germanic name Bernhard, which means "brave bear." The name gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in the 11th and 12th centuries.

In its early form, the name was often spelled as Bernart or Bernado, reflecting the influence of local dialects and linguistic variations. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Calixtinus, a 12th-century manuscript that chronicles the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela.

One notable bearer of the Bernat surname was Ramon Bernat, a prominent Catalan sculptor and architect who lived in the 13th century. His most notable work was the design and construction of the Gothic-style cloister at the Monastery of Santes Creus in Tarragona, which is considered a masterpiece of Cistercian architecture.

During the 14th century, the name Bernat appeared in several historical documents from the Kingdom of Aragon, including records of land ownership and legal transactions. One such document mentions a certain Pere Bernat, a landowner from the town of Montsonis.

In the 15th century, the Bernat family became closely associated with the town of Riudoms, located in the province of Tarragona. Joan Bernat, born in 1423, was a respected figure in the community and served as the town's mayor for several years.

Another notable figure with the Bernat surname was Francesc Bernat, a Catalan painter who lived during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He was renowned for his religious paintings and frescoes, many of which can still be found in churches and monasteries throughout Catalonia.

In the 17th century, the Bernat family established a presence in the city of Barcelona, where they were involved in various trades and professions. One member, Josep Bernat, born in 1631, was a successful merchant and ship owner who played a significant role in the city's maritime trade.

As the Bernat surname spread throughout Spain and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Bernath, Bernath, and Bernado, reflecting the influence of different regional dialects and linguistic traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bernat

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

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

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

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