Contents [hide]

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

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Bernard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Scotland
England

The Strongbownian invaders added their Norman conventions for surnames to the previously established Irish system for hereditary surnames. One of the most frequent forms of surnames for both cultures was the patronymic surname, which was formed from the name of the bearer's father or grandfather. The Norman tradition that the followers of Strongbow brought with them created such a surname through diminutive suffixes such as -ot, -et, -un, -in, or -el. Occasionally, two suffixes were combined to form a double diminutive, as in the combinations of -el-in, -el-ot, -in-ot, and -et-in. The Normans also formed patronymic surnames in a manner very similar to the Irish: they added a prefix to their father's name. These Anglo-Norman people, however, used the prefix Fitz-, which was derived from the French word fils, and ultimately from the Latin filius, which both mean son. Although this prefix probably originated in Flanders or Normandy, it can now only be found in Ireland. The surname Bernard is derived from the Germanic personal name Bernhard, which consists of the elements ber or bern, which mean bear, and hard, which means brave, handy, or strong.

Early Origins of the Bernard family

The surname Bernard was first found in Westmorland, where they had been granted lands by King William for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Sir Theophilus, a Norman knight, who assisted William the Conqueror in the conquest of England was succeeded by his son, Sir Dorbard, who took the surname Bernard. Sir Dorbard's descendants settled at Acornbank in the county of Westmorland, but stayed in good favor with the royalty. In 1172 King Henry II took Robert Fitz Bernard with him to Ireland, in the invasion of Ireland, and entrusted to his care the counties of Wexford and Waterford.

Fulk Baynard (fl. 1226), was an early Itinerant Justice, seated at Merton, Norfolk, and was specially constituted a justice for a single occasion in November 1226. 1

Robert Baynard (d. 1331), son of Fulk Baynard, was a judge and was elected knight of the shire for Norfolk several times between 1289 and 1327. 1

Early History of the Bernard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bernard research. Another 268 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1115, 1148, 1320, 1641, 1672, 1683, 1685, 1693, 1697, 1702, 1738, 1764, 1768 and 1903 are included under the topic Early Bernard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bernard Spelling Variations

Medieval scribes and church officials spelled the names as they sounded, so a name was often spelled many different ways during the lifetime of a single person. The investigation of the origin of the name Bernard revealed many spelling variations including Bernard, Barnard, Bernyrd, Barnerd, Barnart, Barnert, Barnarde and many more.

Early Notables of the Bernard family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was

John Barnard or Bernard (d. 1683), was the biographer of Dr. Heylyn, was the son of John Barnard, and was born at Castor, in Lincolnshire

Bernard World Ranking

In the United States, the name Bernard is the 830^th most popular surname with an estimated 37,305 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Bernard is ranked the 190^th most popular surname with an estimated 19,415 people with that name. 3 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Bernard is the 110^th popular surname. 4 France ranks Bernard as 2^nd with 105,132 people. 5

Bernard migration to the United States +

During the middle of the 19th century, Irish families often experienced extreme poverty and racial discrimination in their own homeland under English rule. Record numbers died of disease and starvation and many others, deciding against such a fate, boarded ships bound for North America. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Unfortunately, many of those Irish that arrived in Canada or the United States still experienced economic and racial discrimination. Although often maligned, these Irish people were essential to the rapid development of these countries because they provided the cheap labor required for the many canals, roads, railways, and other projects required for strong national infrastructures. Eventually the Irish went on to make contributions in the less backbreaking and more intellectual arenas of commerce, education, and the arts. Research early immigration and passenger lists revealed many early immigrants bearing the name Bernard:

Bernard Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Bernard, who landed in Virginia in 1625 6
Stephen Bernard, who landed in Virginia in 1628 6
Mrs. Phebe Bernard, aged 27, who arrived in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Elizabeth" in 1634, found in Watertown. 6
Samuel Bernard, aged 1, who arrived in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Elizabeth" in 1634, found in Watertown. 6
Mrs. Mary Bernard, aged 38, who landed in New England, bound for Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1634 aboard the ship "Francis" 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bernard Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

David Bernard, who arrived in Jamestown, Virginia in 1700
David Bernard, who arrived in Jamestown, Va in 1700 6
Joseph Bernard, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 6
Claude Bernard, who arrived in Louisiana in 1719 6
Pierre Bernard, aged 18, who landed in Louisiana in 1720 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bernard Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Andre Bernard, who arrived in Louisiana in 1805 6
Mr. Bernard, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1813 6
Richard Bernard who arrived in New York City in 1816
Richard Bernard, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 6
Simon Bernard, who landed in New York in 1822 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bernard Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Friedrich Bernard who arrived in Kentucky between 1881 and 1900

Bernard migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bernard Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Guillaume Bernard, who landed in Canada in 1663
Jean Bernard, son of Jean and Catherine, who married Marie De Bure, daughter of Vincent and Suzanne, in Quebec on 27th December 1666 8
André Bernard, son of André and Marie, who married Marie Gitton, daughter of Denis and Marie, in Quebec on 26th November 1676 8
Hilaire Bernard, married, Marie-Madeleine Voyer, daughter of Pierre and Catherine, in Quebec on 3rd November 1694 8
Charles Bernard, son of Jean and Marie, who married Geneviève Martin, daughter of Pierre and Jacobine, in Saint-Augustin, Quebec on 10th November 1697 8

Bernard Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Nicolas Bernard, son of Jean and Marie, who married Marie-Thérèse Bruneau, daughter of François and Marie, in Quebec on 22nd November 1707 8
Jean Bernard, son of Jean and Marie, who married Marie Barbot, daughter of François and Marguerite, in Charlesbourg, Quebec on 21st November 1712 8
Claude Bernard, son of Jacques and Louise, who married Angélique Coulombe, daughter of Louis and Jeanne-Marguerite, in Quebec on 7th August 1713 8
René Bernard, son of René and Madeleine, who married Anne Blon, daughter of Jacques and Marie, in Beaubassin, Quebec on 11th July 1713 8
Jean-Baptiste Bernard, son of Jean and Marie-Anne, who married Marie-Anne Moreau, daughter of Pierre and Élisabeth, in Montreal, Quebec on 24th May 1716 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bernard Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Margaret Bernard, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1803
William Bernard, aged 13, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Edward Reid" in 1833

Bernard migration to Australia +

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

Bernard Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Gustav Louis Ernest Wilhem Bernard, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Steinwaerder" 9
Fred Bernard, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Simlah" in 1849 10
Thomas Bernard, aged 37, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Constance" 11
Frederick Bernard, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Candahar" in 1850 12

Bernard 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:

Bernard Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Sister Angela Bernard, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Katherine Stewart Forbes" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 9th March 1852 13
Miss Ann Bernard, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 25th February 1856 14
Miss Jane Bernard, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 25th February 1856 14
Henry Bernard, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Portland" in 1864
Elizabeth Bernard, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Portland" in 1864
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bernard migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 15

Bernard Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Nathaniell Bernard, (b. 1613), aged 22, British settler traveling aboard the ship "William and John" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 16

Contemporary Notables of the name Bernard (post 1700) +

Robyn Bernard (1959-2024), American actress, best known for her role as Terry Brock on General Hospital
Wynton Allen Bernard (b. 1990), American professional baseball outfielder
William Bayle Bernard (1807-1875), often referred to as "Bayle Bernard", was a well-known American-born London playwright and drama critic
Terrel Bernard (b. 1999), American football linebacker
Turner Bernard (b. 1998), American football long snapper
Rod Bernard (1940-2020), American singer
Sherman Albert Bernard Sr. (1925-2012), American businessman
Susan Lynn Bernard (1948-2019), American author, actress, model and businesswoman
Lawrence George Bernard (1914-1997), American submarine commander during World War II
Lawrence Bernard (b. 1927), American editor
... (Another 75 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Bernard family +

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Clinton Will Percival Bernard, American 1st Class Passenger from New York, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 17
Mr. Oliver Percy Bernard, English 1st Class Passenger from London, England, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking by escaping in life boat 11 17

SS Caribou

Mrs. Harriet Bernard (b. 1920), British passenger from North Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia was travelling aboard the railway ferry "SS Caribou" when it was struck by a German submarine torpedo on 14th October 1942, the most significant sinking in Canadian waters at that time, she died in the sinking
Miss Shirley Bernard (b. 1942), British passenger from North Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia was travelling aboard the railway ferry "SS Caribou" when it was struck by a German submarine torpedo on 14th October 1942, the most significant sinking in Canadian waters at that time, she died in the sinking

USS Arizona

Mr. Frank Peter Bernard, American Shipfitter Second Class from North Dakota, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 18

Winter Quarters coal mine

Mr. Henry Bernard, American mine worker from San Francisco, California who worked in the Winter Quarters coal mine on 1st May 1900, when 10 of the 25lb kegs of black powder exploded; he died in the explosion 19

The Bernard Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtus probata florebit
Motto Translation: Tried virtue will flourish.

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"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
"The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 1, Institut Drouin, 1958.
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) STEINWARDER 1849 aka STEINWAERDER. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Steinwarder.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The SIMLAH 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Simlah.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTANCE 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Constance.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CANDAHAR 1850. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Candahar.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's (Retrieved October 4th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
Miners killed in Winter Quarters (retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from http://www.carbon-utgenweb.com/miners.html