Explore the Family Name Berhanu
The meaning of Berhanu
Ethiopian: from the personal name Berhanu, which is interpreted as ‘his light’ in the Amharic language. — Note: Since Ethiopians do not have hereditary surnames, this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Berhanu in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Berhanu' has significantly increased over the decade from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Berhanu was ranked at 75,219 among all surnames in the U.S., but by 2010, it had leaped up to rank 42,378, indicating a significant rise in usage by 43.66 percent. Correspondingly, the count of individuals with the Berhanu surname also more than doubled from 239 in 2000 to 512 in 2010, showing a growth of 114.23 percent. Proportionally, this means that for every 100,000 people in the U.S., there were 0.09 in 2000 and 0.17 in 2010 with the surname Berhanu, marking an increase of 88.89 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #75,219 | #42,378 | 43.66% |
| Count | 239 | 512 | 114.23% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.09 | 0.17 | 88.89% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Berhanu
On the subject of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals a shifting landscape for the ethnic identity associated with the surname 'Berhanu'. Predominantly, the surname is linked with the Black community, which saw an increase from 84.94 percent in 2000 to 94.14 percent in 2010. However, other ethnicities showed a decrease. The percentage of those identifying as White dropped from 4.18 percent to 2.93 percent during the same period, while those identifying with two or more races fell sharply from 9.62 percent to 1.76 percent. Interestingly, a small percentage (0.98) started identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander in 2010, a category that was not represented in 2000. The categories Hispanic and American Indian & Alaskan Native remained consistent with no representation in both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 84.94% | 94.14% | 10.83% |
| White | 4.18% | 2.93% | -29.9% |
| Two or More Races | 9.62% | 1.76% | -81.7% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.98% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |