Show ContentsBerni History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Berni surname was created from the personal name Bernardo, originally a Germanic name.

Early Origins of the Berni family

The surname Berni was first found in Bolgna (Latin: Bononia), the largest city and the capital of Emilia-Romagna Region. The famous University of Bolgna was founded in the 11th century, by the 13th century the student body was nearly 10,000. Dante and Petrarch studied there. Tisso was tried there for 1564 for writing satirical poems. Bologna naturally, is famous for its sausages. But many noted scholars were born there. In those ancient times only persons of rank, the podesta, clergy, city officials, army officers, artists, landowners were entered into the records. To be recorded at this time was in itself a family honor.

Early History of the Berni family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Berni research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1475, 1502, 1541, 1576, 1598, 1605, 1667, 1680, 1736 and 1775 are included under the topic Early Berni History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Berni Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Bernardi, Bernardo, Bernardis, Bernard, Bernardelli, Bernardello, Bernardini, De Bernardinis, Bernardino, Bernardotti, Bernardoni, Berni, Berno, Bernetti, Bernotti, Bernaroli, Bernero and many more.

Early Notables of the Berni family

Prominent among members of the family was

  • Pietro Bernardino dei Fanciulli (Petrus Bernardinus) (c.1475-1502), a follower of Savonarola; Giovanni Maria Bernardoni (1541-1605), a Jesuit monk and an Italian architect who was the first to design...

Migration of the Berni family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Antonio Bernardi, who came to Ashtabula Co., OH sometime between 1875 and 1906; M. Bernardi, who came to New York, NY in 1862; Marie Bernardini, age 29, who arrived in American on June 7, 1880, aboard the ".


Contemporary Notables of the name Berni (post 1700) +

  • Francesco Berni (1497-1535), Italian poet


Houseofnames.com on Facebook