Explore the Family Name Bierman

The meaning of Bierman

1. Dutch: occupational name for a beer merchant, brewer, or tavern owner or, in some cases, perhaps a nickname for a beer drinker; see Bier. 2. Americanized form of German Biermann, and a variant of the same Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname, a cognate of 1 above.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Bierman in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Bierman saw a marginal drop from 2000 to 2010. Ranked at 6613 in 2000, it slipped slightly to 6673 in 2010, marking a change of -0.91%. However, the count of individuals with the Bierman surname actually increased during this decade, going up by 7.11% from 4728 in 2000 to 5064 in 2010. Despite the increase in count, the proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 1.71%, from 1.75 in 2000 to 1.72 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#6,613#6,673-0.91%
Count4,7285,0647.11%
Proportion per 100k1.751.72-1.71%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bierman

The ethnic identity associated with the Bierman surname experienced shifts from 2000 to 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. Although the majority identifying as White decreased slightly from 96.98% to 95.62%, it still represented the largest group. The Hispanic ethnicity marked the most significant growth, increasing by 52% from 1.25% to 1.90%. Asian/Pacific Islander and those indicating two or more races also saw significant increases, rising by 42.55% and 36.08% respectively. Additionally, there was an 84.62% increase in those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, though their overall proportion remained small. Lastly, the Black community's representation also increased marginally from 0.21% to 0.26%.

20002010Change
White96.98%95.62%-1.4%
Hispanic1.25%1.9%52%
Two or More Races0.97%1.32%36.08%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.47%0.67%42.55%
Black0.21%0.26%23.81%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.13%0.24%84.62%

Bierman ancestry composition

23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Bierman is British & Irish, which comprises 33.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (31.6%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (17.4%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Korean, Italian, and Spanish & Portuguese.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish33.3%
French & German31.6%
Ashkenazi Jewish17.4%
Other17.6%
Bierman

Possible origins of the surname Bierman

Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.

Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Bierman have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
West Yorkshire, United Kingdom71.80%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom71.80%
West Midlands, United Kingdom71.80%
Merseyside, United Kingdom71.80%
Greater London, United Kingdom71.80%

What Bierman haplogroups can tell you

Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.

The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Bierman is R-Z8, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z8 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and I-DF29, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Millar, Brinkman, Schrader, Fricke, Birch, Benjamin, Creamer, Zimmer, Nicholls, Bower.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Bierman surname are: H1, N, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

biermanPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Paternal Haplo Image

Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI

The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.

Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette

Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Bierman have in common?

Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.

Preferences

Bierman

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Bierman" Surname 34.1%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Bierman

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Bierman" Surname 21.9%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Bierman

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Bierman" Surname 23.1%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Bierman

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Bierman" Surname 13.3%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Bierman?

The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.

Disease variant frequency by ancestry

Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Bierman are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%