The bernhard Surname
bernhard Name Meaning and History
Dutch, German, and Scandinavian: from the Germanic personal name
Bernhard, composed of the elements ber(n) ‘bear’ +
hard ‘brave’, ‘hardy’, ‘strong’. In the 13th and 14th centuries
it vied with Arnold as the most popular personal name in the
Netherlands and northern Germany. It was borne by St. Bernard of
Menthon (923–1008), founder of Alpine hospices and patron saint of
mountaineers, whose cult accounts for the frequency of the name in
Alpine regions. See also Bernard.
Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
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