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Bergen Family History

Bergen Surname Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from any of various places called Bergen. Dutch and Flemish: topographic name for someone who lived on or by a hill (see Berg) or a habitational name from any of various places so named (see Van Bergen).

Swedish (mainly Bergén): ornamental or habitational name formed with the (placename) element berg ‘mountain hill’ + the adjectival suffix -en/-én a derivative of Latin -enius ‘relating to’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Bergen family from?

You can see how Bergen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bergen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bergen families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 22 Bergen families living in Northumberland. This was about 22% of all the recorded Bergen's in United Kingdom. Northumberland had the highest population of Bergen families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bergen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Bergen ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Bergen. 80% of Bergen women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Bergen | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Incapacitated
    10%
  • Shorthand Typist
    10%

What Bergen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 56,000 census records available for the last name Bergen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bergen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bergen

Passenger Lists

There are 12,000 immigration records available for the last name Bergen. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Bergen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 14,000 military records available for the last name Bergen. For the veterans among your Bergen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bergen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bergen family history

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What is the average Bergen lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Bergen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Bergen in 1940 was 41, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bergen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bergen ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Bergen family tree

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