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

Bertrand, 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 Bertrand surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bertrand in America

Bertrand is the 2881st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bertrand surname appeared 12,461 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Bertrand.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bertrand 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 Bertrand

The surname Bertrand has its origins in France, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Germanic personal name Bertrand, which is composed of the elements "berhta" meaning "bright" and "hramn" meaning "raven." The name was initially popularized by the Frankish rulers and nobles during the Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval charters and records from the 9th century onwards. One notable mention is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a certain Bertrand de Verdun is listed as a landowner in Staffordshire, England. This indicates that the name had already spread beyond its French origins by the 11th century.

During the High Middle Ages, the Bertrand family established itself as a prominent noble house in various regions of France, particularly in the southern provinces. One of the earliest recorded members was Bertrand de Born (c. 1140-1215), a famous Occitan troubadour and military leader who played a significant role in the conflicts between Henry II of England and his sons.

Another notable figure was Bertrand du Guesclin (c. 1320-1380), a Breton knight and one of the most celebrated military commanders of the Hundred Years' War. He served as Constable of France under King Charles V and was instrumental in driving the English out of many territories, earning him the epithet "The Eagle of Brittany."

In the 15th century, the Bertrand family produced several influential figures in the Church, including Pierre Bertrand (c. 1400-1468), a French cardinal and diplomat who played a crucial role in the Council of Basel and the Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges. His nephew, Guillaume Bertrand (c. 1430-1494), also became a cardinal and served as Bishop of Le Mans.

During the Renaissance, the Bertrand name was associated with notable scholars and writers. One such figure was Jean Bertrand (c. 1470-1536), a French humanist and poet who served as the principal of the Collège de Navarre in Paris and was renowned for his Latin poetry and translations.

Throughout history, variations of the name have included Bertran, Bertram, and Bertrane, often reflecting regional dialects or spellings. Additionally, several place names in France, such as Bertrandfosse and Bertrambois, are derived from the Bertrand surname, further highlighting its historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bertrand

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

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

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

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