2010
#132,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Berneche
A toponymic surname derived from a place name referring to a dwelling near a birch tree.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 144 Americans carry the last name Berneche. That puts it at #137,553 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,380,238 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Berneche 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
144
1 in 2,380,238
Census rank
#137,553
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
126
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 126 bearers of the surname Berneche in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 137553rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Berneche, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.9%. The next largest groups are Black (4.8%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Berneche
The surname "BERNECHE" is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the region of Normandy. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "berniche," which referred to a type of duck or goose. This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who worked with or hunted these birds.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a detailed survey of lands and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a person named "Willelmus de Bernecha," which is likely an early spelling variation of the surname.
In the 12th century, a nobleman named Raoul de Berneche was documented as a vassal of the Count of Anjou. This indicates that the name had gained some prominence and was associated with landowners and nobility in the region.
During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various records and manuscripts, often with slight variations in spelling, such as "Bernèche," "Bernéche," or "Bernéché." These variations likely reflect regional dialects and the evolution of the French language over time.
One notable bearer of the name was Jean de Berneche, a French poet and playwright who lived in the 15th century. He is remembered for his works that satirized the clergy and social customs of his time.
In the 17th century, a merchant named Pierre Berneche made a name for himself in the city of Rouen, where he established a successful trading business. His descendants continued to be influential in the region's commercial affairs for several generations.
Another individual of note was François-Xavier Berneche, a French military officer who served under Napoleon Bonaparte. He was born in 1782 and fought in several major campaigns, including the Napoleonic Wars, before retiring with the rank of Colonel in 1815.
Over the centuries, the surname "BERNECHE" has spread beyond its French origins, with bearers of the name found in other parts of Europe, as well as in North and South America, often due to immigration and migration patterns.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Berneche
Among Census respondents with the surname Berneche, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.9%. The next largest groups are Black (4.8%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Berneche 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 Berneche surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.9% · 112
- Black or African American4.8% · 6
- Two or more races4.0% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Berneche
Berneche 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
#137,553
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
-2 bearers (-1.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,347 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #132,206 | 128 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #137,553 | 126 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.6%) | Down 5,347 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 Berneche 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 | #132,206 | #137,553 | -4.0% |
| Count | 128 | 126 | -1.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 5.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Berneche bearers went from 128 to 126 (-1.6% change). The surname moved down 5,347 positions in the national ranking, going from #132,206 to #137,553.
FAQ
Berneche surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Berneche?
Name Census estimates that about 144 living Americans carry the surname Berneche. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,380,238 residents.
How common is Berneche?
Berneche ranks #137,553 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 126 people with the surname Berneche. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (144), 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 Berneche.
Has Berneche become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Berneche went from 128 recorded bearers to 126. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #132,206 to #137,553.
What does the Census say about the background of Berneche?
Among Census respondents with the surname Berneche, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.9%. The next largest groups are Black (4.8%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Berneche in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.9% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Berneche appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.9%), Black (4.8%), Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Berneche (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 Berneche mean?
A toponymic surname derived from a place name referring to a dwelling near a birch tree. 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 Berneche (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 Berneche?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.