Surname Berndts - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'B'
Berndts: What does the surname Berndts mean?
The surname Berndts is of German origin. It is derived from the personal name Bernhard, which means "bold as a bear." The name was initially popular among medieval German aristocracy, and later spread to other parts of Europe. Berndts is therefore a patronymic surname, meaning that individuals bearing this name are descended from someone named Bernhard.
In the modern day, the name is still popular in Germany, but it is also used in parts of Scandinavia, the United States, and Canada. In English-speaking countries, the name is often anglicized to variants such as "Bernhardt," "Bernardt," or "Barnett."
Notable people who have borne this name include August Berndts, a Swedish explorer and surveyor; Bernt Berndtson, a Swedish diplomat; and Gerhard Berndtson, a Finnish athlete. Notable Berndts family members include American basketball player Greg Berndts, German footballer Moritz Berndts, and American actor Brent Berndtson.
The Berndts surname is often associated with strength and courage, due to its origin in the personal name Bernhard. It continues to be a symbol of a proud lineage, and is a recognizable part of many family trees.
Order DNA origin analysisBerndts: Where does the name Berndts come from?
The last name Berndts is most often found today in countries of Northern and Central Europe, particularly in Germany and Denmark. Berndts is a German surname that originated in Western Germany as a patronymic name meaning "son of Bernhard". The first recorded mention of the Berndts family is from 1345 in Westphalia, Germany. The name Berndts is also found in modern day Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, and Finland.
The Berndts surname is the 23,033rd most popular family name in the world, held by around 64,764 people. Around 5,179 people in the United States have the surname Berndts, making it the 16,074th most common surname in the U.S. In the United Kingdom, Berndts is the 24,338th most common surname, with about 497 people.
In the United States, most Berndts families can be found living in New York state and Pennsylvania. In Canada, the proportion of Berndts is largest in the province of Ontario. Across Europe, Berndts is more common in Northern countries such as Germany, Belgium, Denmark, and Sweden, with lower concentrations in Central and Eastern Europe.
Ultimately, the surname Berndts originated in Western Germany centuries ago and is still found most commonly across Northern parts of Europe and North America.
Variations of the surname Berndts
The surname Berndts is believed to have originated in Germany and is popular in Scandinavian countries. It has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Common variants include Bernats, Bernat, Bernatz, Berndtssen, Berndssen, Bernttsen, Berntsen, Barnatz, Bernts, Bernus, Bernesse, Bernet, Bernell, Berners, Bernhorns, Bernhouter, Bernmark, and Bernrot.
The spelling of Berndts has also changed throughout the years, evolving into forms such as Berndest, Berndst, Berndz and Berndzs. All these variants are believed to have been derived from the same base name, 'Berndt' or 'Bjorn'.
Other surnames originated from Berndts include Bernhardt, Berntheussen, Berntson, Brandts, Brandtz, Brandtzgaard, Braunerth, Bernie, Berents, Beranen and Brander.
Throughout Europe, it is possible to find various branches of the same Berndts surname. The Scandinavian countries are some of the countries with the highest density of Berndts families, especially in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
In the United States, particularly in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, are a large number of families with the Berndts surname. Today, Berndts families are present throughout the world, from the United States to Europe, Australia, Canada and Latin America.
Famous people with the name Berndts
- Benjamin Berndts: Professional bassist and musical composer
- Edward Berndts: Australian politician
- William Berndts: World War I flying ace
- Barry Berndts: Professional golfer
- Christian Berndts: German composer and organist
- Frederic Berndts: Military surgeon
- George Berndts: Professional baseball player
- Gudrun Berndts: German track runner
- Heino Berndts: German painter and illustrator
- Johannes Berndts: German botanist
- Karl Berndts: Finnish executive
- Kjersti Berndts: Norwegian runner
- Mathias Berndts: Professional hockey player
- Mikael Berndts: Swedish rally driver
- Nils Berndts: Swedish glassblower
- Ole Berndts: Norwegian bishop
- Paul Berndts: German geologist
- Peter Berndts: Swedish lawyer
- Staffan Berndts: Swedish ice hockey player
- Tierney Berndts: American actor and experimental filmmaker