2000
#24,491
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 957
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.35
Rare Last name
Berra
An Italian surname indicating the bearer hailed from the region of Berra, Italy.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,299 Americans carry the last name Berra. That puts it at #23,166 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.38 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 263,860 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Berra 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
1.3K
1 in 263,860
Census rank
#23,166
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,133 bearers of the surname Berra in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.38 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 23166th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Berra, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (21.9%) and Black (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Berra
The surname BERRA is of Italian origin, specifically from the Piedmont region in northwestern Italy. Its origins can be traced back to the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.
BERRA is believed to be derived from the Italian word "berra," which means "cap" or "hat." It was likely used as a nickname or descriptive name for someone who wore a distinctive hat or headgear, possibly as part of their profession or social status.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname BERRA can be found in historical documents and records from the Piedmont region, such as town registers and parish records. One of the earliest known references is in a document dated 1348 from the city of Asti, mentioning a certain "Giovanni Berra."
During the Renaissance period, the name BERRA appeared in various records and manuscripts, particularly in the cities of Turin and Cuneo. In the 16th century, a notable figure named Bartolomeo Berra was a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Savigliano.
In the late 17th century, a family with the surname BERRA gained prominence in the village of Monforte d'Alba, where they owned vineyards and were involved in the wine trade. One of their descendants, Carlo Berra (1718-1793), was a respected winemaker and is considered an early pioneer in the region's wine production.
Another notable individual with the surname BERRA was Giulio Berra (1830-1912), a painter and artist from Turin who was known for his landscapes and portraits. His works can be found in various galleries and museums throughout Italy.
During the 19th century, the BERRA family spread to other parts of Italy, as well as to other countries through emigration. One prominent figure was Giuseppe Berra (1865-1932), an Italian-American engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the New York City subway system.
The surname BERRA can also be found in other European countries, such as France and Spain, likely due to migration and intermarriage over the centuries. However, its roots can be traced back to the Piedmont region of Italy, where it originated as a nickname or descriptive name related to headgear or hats.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Berra
Among Census respondents with the surname Berra, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (21.9%) and Black (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Berra 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 Berra surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White73.3% · 831
- Hispanic or Latino21.9% · 248
- Black or African American2.1% · 24
- Two or more races2.1% · 24
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Berra
Berra appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#27,604
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 872
-85 bearers (-8.9%)
Per 100,000 0.30
Rank movement Down 3,113 places
2020
#23,166
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,133
+261 bearers (+29.9%)
Per 100,000 0.38
Rank movement Up 4,438 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #24,491 | 957 | 0.35 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #27,604 | 872 | 0.30 | -85 bearers (-8.9%) | Down 3,113 places |
| 2020 | #23,166 | 1,133 | 0.38 | +261 bearers (+29.9%) | Up 4,438 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 Berra 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 | #27,604 | #23,166 | 16.1% |
| Count | 872 | 1,133 | 29.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.30 | 0.38 | 26.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Berra bearers went from 872 to 1,133 (+29.9% change). The surname moved up 4,438 positions in the national ranking, going from #27,604 to #23,166.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Berra
FAQ
Berra surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Berra?
Name Census estimates that about 1,299 living Americans carry the surname Berra. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 263,860 residents.
How common is Berra?
Berra ranks #23,166 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.38 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 1,133 people with the surname Berra. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,299), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.38 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.38 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 Berra.
Has Berra become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Berra went from 872 recorded bearers to 1,133. That is an increase of 261 (+29.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #27,604 to #23,166.
What does the Census say about the background of Berra?
Among Census respondents with the surname Berra, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (21.9%) and Black (2.1%). 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 Berra in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.3% (831 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Berra appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (73.3%), Hispanic (21.9%), Black (2.1%). 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 Berra (2000, 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 Berra mean?
An Italian surname indicating the bearer hailed from the region of Berra, Italy. 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 Berra (0.38 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 Berra?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.