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Bern Family History

Bern Name Meaning

German and Scandinavian: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with ber(n) ‘bear’ e.g. Bernhard . South German: habitational name from Bern Switzerland.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Bera, Berg, Berk, Benn, Berna, Kern, Bein, Berl, Berns, Bean

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Bern family from?

You can see how Bern families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bern family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bern families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 2 Bern families living in New York. This was about 67% of all the recorded Bern's in USA. New York had the highest population of Bern families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bern surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Bern ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Bern. 19% of Bern men worked as a Laborer and 15% of Bern women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bern were Manager and Bookkeeper. .

View Census Data for Bern | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    19%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Salesman
    12%
  • Manager
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    15%
  • Saleslady
    12%
  • Teacher
    12%
  • Bookkeeper
    12%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Bern family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 13,000 census records available for the last name Bern. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bern census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Bern

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Bern. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Bern immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Bern. For the veterans among your Bern ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bern military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bern family history

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What is the average Bern lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Bern life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1994, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Bern in 1954 was 66, and 87 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bern

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Bern family tree

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