Berri
A Basque surname derived from the Gascon word 'berri' meaning 'new' or 'recent'.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 240 Americans carry the last name Berri. That puts it at #84,748 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,428,143 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Berri surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
240
1 in 1,428,143
Census rank
#84,748
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
221
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 221 bearers of the surname Berri in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 84748th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Berri, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Berri
The surname BERRI is believed to have originated in the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France during the medieval period. It is derived from the Basque word "berri," which means "new" or "recent." This could suggest that the name was initially given to someone who had recently arrived in a particular area or had established a new settlement.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BERRI can be found in the Cartulary of St. John the Baptist of Sorde, a medieval manuscript from the 12th century. It mentions a person named Arnaldus de Berri, who was a landowner in the region.
In the 13th century, there are references to a place called "Villa Berri" in the historical archives of the Kingdom of Navarre, which was located in the present-day Basque region. This suggests that the name may have also been associated with a specific location.
During the medieval period, the BERRI surname was particularly prevalent in the Basque provinces of Gipuzkoa and Navarre, as well as in the neighboring French region of Aquitaine. Notable individuals with this surname from this era include:
1. Sancho Berri (c. 1260 - 1300), a prominent nobleman and military leader who fought in the Navarrese-Aragonese War.
2. Petri Berri (c. 1320 - 1380), a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Bayonne, Aquitaine.
As the BERRI surname spread beyond the Basque region, it encountered various spelling variations, such as Berry, Berrie, and Berie. In England, the name is sometimes associated with the town of Berry Pomeroy in Devon, which may have influenced the spelling variation.
Notable individuals with the BERRI surname in later centuries include:
3. Jean de Berri (1510 - 1586), a French poet and playwright from the Renaissance period.
4. Nathaniel Berry (1684 - 1766), an English naval officer and explorer who helped establish British settlements in the Caribbean.
5. Hiram Gregory Berry (1824 - 1863), an American politician and Union Army officer who served during the American Civil War.
While the BERRI surname has its roots in the Basque region, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by migration and cultural exchange. The name continues to be a legacy of the rich linguistic and historical heritage of the Basque people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Berri
Among Census respondents with the surname Berri, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Berri bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Berri surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.0%
- Hispanic or Latino5.0%
- Two or more races4.5%
- Black or African American3.6%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Berri surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #84,748 | #84,748 | 0.0% |
| Count | 221 | 221 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Berri bearers went from 221 to 221 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #84,748 to #84,748.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Berri
FAQ
Berri surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Berri?
The surname Berri holds position #84,748 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 240 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Berri surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Berri, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (4.5%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.