Show ContentsBerling History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Berling

What does the name Berling mean?

Bavaria, Germany is the ancestral home of the Berling family. The Berling surname evolved as a local name. It is a name for a family that lived in the city of Berlin, the capital of Germany. The city took its name from a Wendish word which means river rake, or a scaffold of beams built over a river to prevent logs from jamming; the river in question was the Spree. The German name is also found in the Hamburg area, where it may be derived from the village of the same name. Berlin is also an Ashkenazic Jewish local name, derived from the same origins as the German form of the local name. The Berling family emerged as an influential family and they became noted for their involvement in social, economic and political affairs.

Early Origins of the Berling family

The surname Berling was first found in Nuremburg, where the name Berlin was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society of early European history. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs.

Early History of the Berling family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Berling research. Another 54 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1725 and 1799 are included under the topic Early Berling History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Berling Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Berling include Berlin, Berliner, Berling, Berlen, Burlin, Burling, Barlin, Barling and many more.

Early Notables of the Berling family

More information is included under the topic Early Berling Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Berling migration to the United States +

Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Berling or a variant listed above:

Berling Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Heinrich Berling, who landed in Texas in 1840 1
  • Heinrich Berling accompanied by his wife, Maria Behl, and their four children, who arrived in Texas between 1840 and 1850

Contemporary Notables of the name Berling (post 1700) +

  • Peter Berling (1934-2017), German actor, film producer and writer


  1. 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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook