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Bergen History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Bergen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands-Alt
Netherlands
England
Germany
Ireland
Sweden
Scotland

Bergen is a name whose history on English soil dates back to the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066. The Bergen family lived in Devon, where they held a family seat after the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century. Originally from France, the name denoted a native of Burgundy as in 'de Burgoyne'. 1 2 3

Early Origins of the Bergen family

The surname Bergen was first found in the Pipe Rolls of 1160 which includes an entry for Robert Burguignon (no county provided.) Later in London, we found John le Burguinun in the Pipe Rolls of 1173 and on the Isle of Man, the Pipe Rolls there listed John le Burguinn in 1214. John Burgoynoun was recorded at Trentham, Staffordshire in 1330. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists: John de Burgoyne, Somerset; Almaric Burgoyne, Bedfordshire; and John Burgoyn, Gloucestershire. 5 Richard Burgoyne, was Rector of Newton, Norfolk (no date given). 6

Farther to the north in Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included an entry for Elizabet de Burgon. 5

"William Burgoyn was chamberlain of the city of Exeter in 1496, and William Burgoyn was sheriff of that city in 1537. In the 16th and 17th centuries a gentle family of Burgoin resided at Bideford; and in the reign of George I., Thomas Burgoyne was a Bideford gentleman. In fact, as far back as the time of Henry VIII., Jeofferie Burgin was a Bideford townsman. During the 16th and 17th centuries a gentle family of Burgoin flourished in the hamlet of Zeal near South Tawton. Robert Burgoine, Esq., was a Tiverton churchwarden in 1654. In the 13th century this name, in the forms of Burgoyn and Burgoyne, occasionally preceded by "De," occurred in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. The Burgoyns in the east of England were at that distant period important families, and it is stated by most of the Devonshire antiquarians and historians that the Devonshire stock hailed originally from Bedfordshire. If this is true, the migration must have occurred at a very early date, since not only, as I have observed above, were high official positions in the city of Exeter held by the Burgoyns in the reigns of Henry VII. and Henry VIII., a circumstance itself not indicative of recent immigration, but as far back as the reign of Edward I. the name was represented in the west of England in the counties of Somerset and Gloucester." 7

Early History of the Bergen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bergen research. Another 181 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1210, 1273, 1319, 1379, 1500, 1592, 1638, 1645, 1648, 1657, 1680, 1682, 1683, 1703, 1722, 1739, 1740, 1741, 1764, 1785, 1789, 1792 and 1795 are included under the topic Early Bergen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bergen Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Burgon, Burgoin, Burgunie, Burgoyne, Burgoyn, Burgoigne, Burgane, Burgin and many more.

Early Notables of the Bergen family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Thomas Burgane, a prominent landholder in Scotland in the 16th century; and Sir John Burgoyne (c.1592-1657) 1st Baronet, an English politician, Member of Parliament for Warwickshire (1645-1648), supported the Parliamentarian cause in the English Civil War. John Burgoyne (1722-1792), the English dramatist and general, was the only son of, Captain John Burgoyne, a man of fashion, who died in the rules of the king's bench, and grandson of Sir John Burgoyne, bart., of Sutton Park, Bedfordshire. He was educated at Westminster School, where he made friends with Lord Strange, eldest son of the Earl...
Another 135 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bergen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bergen Ranking

In the United States, the name Bergen is the 5,319^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 8

Bergen migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bergen or a variant listed above:

Bergen Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Hans Hans Bergen, who landed in New Netherland(s) in 1620 9
Martin Gerretsen Van Bergen, who landed in Albany, NY in 1630 9
Hans Hansen Bergen, who arrived in New York in 1633 9
Hans Hansen Van Bergen, who landed in New York, NY in 1633 9
Breckje Hans Bergen, who arrived in New York, NY in 1661 9

Bergen Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hans Bergen, who landed in New York in 1709 9

Bergen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joh V Bergen, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 9
Andrew Bergen, aged 24, who arrived in New York in 1835 9
Casper Bergen, aged 19, who arrived in New York, NY in 1847 9
John Bergen, who arrived in Tippecanoe County, Ind in 1848 9
Bridget Bergen, aged 16, who landed in New York in 1849 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bergen Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Moses B Bergen, who landed in Mississippi in 1900 9

Bergen migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bergen Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John Bergen who settled in St. John's Newfoundland and married in 1814 10
Henry Bergen, who arrived in Manitoba in 1875
Isaac Bergen, who landed in Manitoba in 1875
Abram Bergen, who landed in Manitoba in 1875
Cornelius Bergen, who landed in Manitoba in 1875
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bergen migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Bergen Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Honora Bergen, aged 24, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Sea Park"
Mary Bergen, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Royal Albert"

Bergen migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Bergen Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Anne Bergen, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Stately" in 1851
John Bergen, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Stately" in 1851
Miss Anne Bergen, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Stately" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 1st June 1851 11
Mr. John Bergen, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Stately" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 1st June 1851 11

Contemporary Notables of the name Bergen (post 1700) +

Frances Bergen (1922-2006), born Frances Westerman, American actress and fashion model, wife of ventriloquist Edgar Bergen
William Aloysius "Bill" Bergen (1878-1943), American Major League Baseball catcher who played from 1901 through 1911
Robert "Bob" Bergen (b. 1964), American voice actor, current voice of Porky Pig
William Benjamin Bergen, American aerospace engineer, who became President of Aerospace Operations in 1971
Edgar Bergen (1903-1978), born Edgar John Bergren, American ventriloquist, actor and radio performer known for his double entendres with Charlie, his dummy and his fictional feuds with W.C. Fields, inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, father of Candice Bergen
Candice Patricia Bergen (b. 1946), American five-time Emmy Award, two-time Golden Globe winning American actress
Polly Bergen (b. 1930), American Emmy Award-winning actress, singer, and entrepreneur
Bruce H. Bergen, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New Jersey 7th District, 1990 12
Alexander J. Bergen, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Suffolk County 2nd District, 1861 12
A. Bergen, American politician, Member of Minnesota State Senate 14th District, 1869 12
... (Another 25 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Bergen family +

Bismarck

Walter von Bergen (1921-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 13

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details