Explore the Family Name Berrien
The meaning of Berrien
Breton: habitational name from Berrien, a place in Finistère, in Brittany (France), ultimately from the old feminine personal name Berriona, of Irish origin. This surname is very rare in Brittany. Compare Berrian. History: The name is borne by a French Huguenot family of Breton origin who fled from religious persecution in France in the 17th century, first to the Netherlands and then to North America. Cornelius Jansen Berrien (died c.1688) arrived in Flatbush (now a section of Brooklyn, NY) c.1669 and later moved to Newtown, Long Island. His name is listed in the (US) National Huguenot Society’s register of qualified Huguenot ancestors and also in the similar register of the Huguenot Society of America.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Berrien in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Berrien has seen a slight increase in popularity over a decade, from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the rank of the surname was 34,259 and by 2010, it had improved slightly to 34,149, marking a 0.32% change. The count of people bearing this surname also increased during this period, with 626 people in 2000 and 665 people in 2010, reflecting a 6.23% growth. However, the proportion per 100k remained stagnant at 0.23 in both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #34,259 | #34,149 | 0.32% |
| Count | 626 | 665 | 6.23% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.23 | 0.23 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Berrien
On the ethnicity front, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some interesting shifts. The vast majority of individuals with the Berrien surname identify as Black, with the figure slightly increasing from 69.17% in 2000 to 69.47% in 2010. Those identifying as White decreased from 26.84% to 24.36%, marking a -9.24% change. An increase is observed within those who identify as Hispanic and those identifying with two or more ethnicities, with 1.65% (a 47.32% increase) and 3.01% (a 25.42% increase) respectively in 2010. There were no persons identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 69.17% | 69.47% | 0.43% |
| White | 26.84% | 24.36% | -9.24% |
| Two or More Races | 2.4% | 3.01% | 25.42% |
| Hispanic | 1.12% | 1.65% | 47.32% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |