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Berg History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Berg History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands-Alt
Netherlands
Germany
Israel
Sweden

The surname Berg comes from the Old High German word "berg," which means "mountain." The first bearers of the name no doubt came from a mountain or high ground. The name is often found with the preposition "Van den," which mean "from the." In a low-lying, flat country like the Netherlands any area of higher ground was quite prestigious and as such, this was a popular and prestigious surname.

Early Origins of the Berg family

The surname Berg was first found in Holland, where it is thought to have existed since the 15th century.

Early History of the Berg family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Berg research. Another 27 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1664, 1709, 1748, 1755, 1799 and 1873 are included under the topic Early Berg History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Berg Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Berger, Bergen, Berg, Van Berg, Van Berger, Van Bergen, Van den Berger, Van den Berg, Van der Berg, Van den Bergh and many more.

Early Notables of the Berg family

From this era of Dutch history, those of this who distinguished themselves included

the counts Van den Berghs, beginning in the 16th century
Johan van den Bergh (1664-1755), mayor of the city of Leyden and advisor of the King
Jan van den Berg (1709-1748), Dutch statesman and mayor as well as Pieter van den Bergh (1799-1873), a playwright in The Hague

Berg World Ranking

In the United States, the name Berg is the 759^th most popular surname with an estimated 39,792 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Berg is ranked the 935^th most popular surname with an estimated 5,813 people with that name. 2 And in France, the name Berg is the 4,353^rd popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 3 Netherlands ranks Berg as 181^st with 6,573 people. 4

Berg migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Berg Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Andreas Christ Berg, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1709 5
Johan Henrig Berg, who landed in New York in 1709 5
Kasper Berg, who landed in New York in 1709 5
Frederick Berg, who arrived in America in 1709 5
Tiel Berg, who landed in New York in 1709 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Berg Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joh Berg, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 5
Fr Berg, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1802 5
Wilh Berg, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1807 5
Balthazar Berg, who landed in Maryland in 1834 5
Belthassar Berg, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1838 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Berg Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Friedrich Berg, aged 50, who arrived in New York, NY in 1901 5
Adam Berg, aged 8, who arrived in New York, NY in 1901 5
Christina Berg, aged 15, who landed in America in 1901 5
Karolina Berg, aged 9, who landed in New York, NY in 1901 5
Katherina Berg, aged 20, who arrived in America in 1901 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Berg migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Berg Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Johann Simon Berg, who arrived in Quebec in 1850
Cornelius Berg, who arrived in Manitoba in 1875
Jacob Berg, who landed in Manitoba in 1875
Johan Berg, who landed in Manitoba in 1876
William Berg, who arrived in Manitoba in 1878

Contemporary Notables of the name Berg (post 1700) +

Pearl Louise Berg (1909-2024), American supercentenarian and, at the time of her death, the oldest living Jewish person
Paul Berg (1926-2023), American biochemist and professor emeritus at Stanford University, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1980
Nancy Berg (1931-2022), American model and actress who appeared on the front cover of Vogue four times and was Esquire's "Lady Fair" for May of 1956
Richard Harvey Berg (1943-2019), American wargame designer, and recipient of the Charles S. Roberts Hall of Fame Award in 1987
Einsley Delmer "Del" Berg (1915-2016), American soldier and union organizer who lived to be 100 years old, veteran of the Spanish Civil War
John Hendrickson Berg (1932-2015), American art director who worked at Columbia Records from 1961 to 1985; he designed four Grammy Award-winning album covers: The Barbra Streisand Album (1968), Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits (1968), Underground (1969), and Chicago X (1977)
Morris "Moe" Berg (1902-1972), American catcher and coach in Major League Baseball and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Tony Berg (b. 1954), American guitarist, father of Elizabeth Berg
Shelly Berg (b. 1955), American jazz pianist and educator
Elizabeth Berg (b. 1986), American singer with The Like, daughter of Tony Berg
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Berg family +

Bismarck

Otto Berg (1918-1941), German Maschinengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 6
Mathias Berg (1922-1941), 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 6
Hans-Joachim Berg (1920-1941), 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 6

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
"Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
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)
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details