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Berkeley Family History

Berkeley Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from one or more of the numerous places so named such as Berkeley in Gloucestershire named in Old English with be(o)rc ‘birch’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.

Compare Scottish Barclay.

Jewish (American): adoption of the English surname (see 1 above) in place of Berkowitz.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Berkeley family from?

You can see how Berkeley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Berkeley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Berkeley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 58 Berkeley families living in London. This was about 24% of all the recorded Berkeley's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Berkeley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Berkeley 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 Berkeley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Musical Composer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Berkeley. 20% of Berkeley men worked as a Musical Composer and 68% of Berkeley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Berkeley were Electrical Engineer and None.

View Census Data for Berkeley | 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 Male Occupations In 1939

  • Musical Composer
    20%
  • Retired
    20%
  • Actor
    20%
  • Electrical Engineer
    20%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Private Means
    18%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • None
    4%

What Berkeley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 32,000 census records available for the last name Berkeley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Berkeley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Berkeley

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Berkeley. 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 Berkeley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Berkeley. For the veterans among your Berkeley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Berkeley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Berkeley family history

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What is the average Berkeley lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Berkeley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Berkeley in 1950 was 52, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Berkeley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Berkeley 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 Berkeley family tree

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