Surname Berent - Meaning and Origin
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Berent: What does the surname Berent mean?
The last name Berent is a German and Jewish last name derived from the Hebrew word “bar” meaning “son of” or “one chosen by God”. It is assumed to have been derived from the biblical tribe of Benjamin, which was one of the twelve Hebrew Tribes of Israel.
One of the most probable origins of the name is the Germanic given name Bernhard which consists of two elements—berend (meaning “bear”) and hard (meaning “brave”). Thus, the name is thought to mean “son of Bernard” or “son of the brave bear.”
The Berent surname has been found in England since the 16th century and is recorded as being in use in London in 1617. Other early references to the name include:-
John Bent, who was recorded in the 1670 Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire
Johan Berent Borneman, who was recorded in Emden, Germany in 1624
Berent Kemp, who was recorded in the Hamburg Register of Foreigners in 1664
Today, the Berent surname is mainly found in Germany, the United States, and Israel. The name in the United States has been recorded since 1753, when Lucas Berent and Anna Magdalena emigrated to the U.S. from Germany.
In the United States, the last name Berent is fairly uncommon; in fact, it is the 7,517th most frequent name, according to the 2000 Census. In Germany, the surname is more common; it is the highest ranked coat of arms (Wappen) in the country.
Order DNA origin analysisBerent: Where does the name Berent come from?
The last name Berent is common today in many parts of Europe, especially in countries with significant Jewish populations. Berent is the Yiddish variation of the name Berger, which is a common Ashkenazi Jewish last name. The most common countries to find Berents today are Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, and Hungary.
In Germany, the Berent name is common in several cities, including Berlin, Frankfurt, and Hamburg. It can also be found in the small towns in the Schwarzwald region of Germany.
In Poland, the name is particularly common in cities near and in the former Jewish Ghettos of pre- Holocaust Poland, such as Warsaw, Krakow, and Lublin. Similarly, Berents are found in large numbers in several Hungarian cities, including Budapest, Debrecen, and Szeged.
In the United States, Berent is much less common but still present. Today theis a large population of Jews in New York City, so one can often find the travel businesses bearing the Berent name in Times Square and other areas.
In the United Kingdom, the name is much less common as most Jewish immigrants have arrived since the late 1800's when the persecuted after The Expulsion of Jews from England in 1290. There are, however, still Berents living in cities throughout the UK, particularly in smaller towns.
Variations of the surname Berent
The surname Berent is derived from the Old Germanic and Anglo-Saxon personal name Bero, which is of uncertain origin. Variants of the surname Berent include Barents, Bairns, Behrents, Bairn, Barends, Barentsen, Behrend, Baret, Barrant, Bearents, Bearends, Beehrents, Berends, Berents, Bernts and Brandts.
In Germany, the more common variant of Berent is Behrend, which may have been adopted from a medieval German diminutive form of Bernhard, which is a variant of Bernhard. In Holland, the most common variant of the surname is Barents, which is derived from the patronymic Barents family name, or from the older form Barent. Barent was derived from the Old German given name Berend, which means bear.
In England, the most common variant of the surname is Bairns, which is derived from an old Anglo-Saxon diminutive of Bernhard. Bairn was also sometimes used as an occupational name for a carpenter or joiner. Related spellings in England include Bairne, Bairnett, Bairne, Behrne and Byrne.
In other parts of Europe, variants of the surname Berent include Berends (Germany), Beret and Barrant (France), Barrette (Portugal), Beret (Spain), Berutti (Italy) and Barudt (Poland). In Scandinavia, the most common variant of the surname is Berentsen, which is derived from the patronymic Berents family name.
In general, the surname Berent is thought to be obsolete or uncommon in modern times, as its variants have been mainly replaced by more popular versions such as Barnett, Brandt and Bergent.
Famous people with the name Berent
- Zbigniew Berent: Polish philosopher and historian
- Michel Berent: French industrialist, innovator, and politician
- Ernest Berent: German-born American violinist and music educator
- Julian Berent: American film composer
- August Berent: Estonian chemist and geologist 6.Harry Berent: American civil engineer and bridge builder
- Andrew Berent: American entrepreneur and businessman
- Kathleen Berent: American film producer, director, and writer
- Samira Berent: Iranian television producer and executive
- Jack Berent: American surfboard designer and entrepreneur