Berning History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Berning

What does the name Berning mean?

The roots of the distinguished German surname Berning lie in the province of Westphalia. The name is of two different possible origins; firstly, it is derived from "Berninghausen," the name of a town in Westphalia. Alternatively, it may indicate "son of Berning," a diminutive of "Bern," which is itself derived from the Old High German "bero," meaning "bear."

Early Origins of the Berning family

The surname Berning was first found in Westphalia, where the name is thought to have first emerged. It was a common practice of the time to refer to a new resident of a city by the name of his hometown; thus, it is likely that the progenitor of the name was a native of the town of Berninghausen who had settled somewhere else. The young Berning family was instrumental in the development of medieval Westphalian society, and played a significant role in the history of the region.

Early History of the Berning family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Berning research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1574, 1668 and 1843 are included under the topic Early Berning History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Berning Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Berning, Berninghausen, Berninger, Beringhausen, Behrning, Behrninger, Barning, Barninger and many more.

Early Notables of the Berning family

Notables of the period with the name Berning were

Michael Berninger (c.1574), a physician from Mecklenburg
Alexander Berning (d. 1668), a theologian

Berning Ranking

In the United States, the name Berning is the 13,583^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Berning migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Berning Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Herm Heinr Berning, who arrived in America in 1838 2
Jodocus Heinr Berning, who landed in America in 1840 2
Sophie Berning, aged 24, who landed in America, in 1896

Berning Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Theodor Berning, aged 55, who immigrated to the United States, in 1904
John Berning, who immigrated to the United States, in 1908
John B. Berning, aged 68, who landed in America, in 1910
Henny Berning, aged 45, who immigrated to the United States, in 1910
G. John Berning, aged 41, who landed in America, in 1912
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Berning (post 1700) +

Susie Maxwell Berning (1941-2024), American professional golfer
Robert Berning (1935-2008), American grocer and principal wine buyer for Trader Joe's specialty grocery store
Tina Berning (b. 1969), German artist and illustrator in Berlin
Hans Heinrich Berning (b. 1934), founder of Otto Berning & Co., a German company known for producing the Robot surveillance cameras
Wilhelm Berning (1877-1955), prominent German bishop

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)