Explore the Family Name Bering
The meaning of Bering
North German: patronymic from the ancient Germanic personal name Ber (meaning ‘bear’) or from a short form of any of various compound names formed with this element (for example Bernhard). Some characteristic forenames: German Wilhelm, Kurt.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bering in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Bering has decreased over a decade. The rank of the name fell by 10.7%, from 41,995 in 2000 to 46,487 in 2010. Similarly, the count of individuals with this surname also saw a decrease from 487 in 2000 to 458 in 2010, marking a decline of approximately 5.95%. The proportion of this surname per 100k population also dropped by 11.11% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #41,995 | #46,487 | -10.7% |
| Count | 487 | 458 | -5.95% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.18 | 0.16 | -11.11% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bering
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the surname Bering is most commonly associated with White ethnic identity, though its prevalence fell slightly by 2.74% from 2000 to 2010. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander saw a significant increase in this surname's representation, rising by 130.89%. The Black community saw a modest rise of 15.76% in the number of people with the Bering surname. The data also showed a decrease of 41.61% in the proportion of people with this surname identifying as Two or more races. No changes were observed among those identifying as Hispanic or American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 86.65% | 84.28% | -2.74% |
| Black | 6.98% | 8.08% | 15.76% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.23% | 2.84% | 130.89% |
| Two or More Races | 4.11% | 2.4% | -41.61% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |