Get access to Berke family records.Start a free trial

Berke Family History

Berke Name Meaning

German: topographic name for someone who lived by a birch tree or birch grove Middle Low German berke. In Westphalia Berke Birke also means ‘brook stream’ and in some cases it may have been a topographic name for someone who lived by a stream. Altered form of Swiss German Bürki: from a pet form of the personal name Burkhard (see Burkhart ). Hungarian: variant of Berkes . Slovenian: of Hungarian origin (see 3 above) or perhaps a topographic name derived from dialect berek ‘marsh with groves’ a loanword from Hungarian (compare Berkey ). Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the Yiddish personal name Berke a pet form of Ber ‘bear’.

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

Similar surnames: Berk, Berkes, Berko, Berkey, Beck, Berge, Belke, Berka, Borke, Berne

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Berke family from?

You can see how Berke families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Berke family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Berke families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 13 Berke families living in London. This was about 27% of all the recorded Berke's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Berke families in 1891.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Berke surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Berke

What did your Berke ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Berke | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1939

General Labourer
100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

Unpaid Domestic Duties
100%

Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Berke family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Berke. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Berke census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search UK census records for Berke
Passenger Lists
There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Berke. 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 Berke immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Berke. For the veterans among your Berke ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Berke military records

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Berke. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Berke census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Berke

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Berke. 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 Berke immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Berke. For the veterans among your Berke ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Berke military records

You've only scratched the surface of Berke family history

Discover More

What is the average Berke lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Berke life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Berke in 1947 was 26, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Berke

Browse profiles of historical people with the Berke last name