The name Berenstein has a literal meaning of "amber," if only the German word that is this surname's root is considered. In this case, the name Berenstein was formed from the Old German words 'aibbernen' and 'aibsten', which mean 'to burn' and 'stone.' Although amber is a fossilized pine resin, this name referred to the way that amber was mistakenly thought to have been created. Some people bearing this name, then, would have dealt with or traded amber. Another possibility is that one of the original bearers of this name may have been a brick maker as the two main components of this name mean burnt stone. This surname is also a kinnui, or secular surname, that is derived from Ber, an abbreviation of Berko or Berish. The bear on the family coat of arms eludes to this latter possible origin.
Berenstein Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Bernstein, Bernshtein, Berenshtein, Bernstejn, Berensztejn, Bornstein, Beronstein, Borenshtein, Borenshtain, Borenstain, Borensztein, Burzin, Berenstein and many more.
