Origin
Berg : 1: German and Dutch: topographic name for someone who lived on or by a hill or mountain from Middle High German berc Middle Dutch berghe. This surname is also found in some other parts of Europe e.g. in France (Alsace and Lorraine) and Poland. Compare Dutch Vandenberg.2: Norwegian and Danish: habitational name from a farmstead named with Old Norse bjarg ‘mountain hill’.3: Swedish: topographic or ornamental name from berg ‘mountain hill’ or a habitational name from a place called Berg or from a placename containing the word berg. The surname which is also found in Finland may also be of German origin (see 1 above).4: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Berg ‘mountain hill’ or a short form of any of the many artificial surnames containing this word as the final element for example Schönberg (see Schoenberg) and Goldberg.5: Germanized form of Sorbian Běrk (see Berk).
Aaberg : 1: Norwegian and Danish (also Åberg): habitational name from a place so named meaning ‘(on) the hill by the stream’ from å (old spelling aa) ‘stream small river’ + berg ‘mountain hill’. Compare Aberg 2 and Oberg 1.2: Altered form of Swedish Åberg (see Aberg 1) a cognate of 1 above.
Aberg : 1: Swedish (Åberg): ornamental name from å ‘small river’ + berg ‘mountain hill’. Compare Aaberg 2 and Oberg 1.2: Norwegian and Danish (Åberg): variant of Aaberg 1.
Achterberg : North German and Dutch: topographic name from any of several villages called Achterberg i.e. achter de berg ‘behind the hill’. Most families with this surname come from Achterberg near Rhenen by the Rhine river in Utrecht. Other possibilities are Achterberg a hamlet near Dongen in North Brabant Achterberg near Bad Bentheim across the border in Germany and (also in Germany) Achterberg near Tönisberg über Krefeld.
Adelberg : 1: German: habitational name from a place in southwestern Germany called Adelberg named with Middle High German adel ‘noble’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name composed of German adel ‘noble’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Ahlberg : 1: Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements ahl an ornamental spelling of al ‘alder’ + berg ‘mountain hill’. Compare Alberg.2: German: habitational name from Ahlberg a hamlet near Mariendorf in Hesse or Ahlenberg near Dortmund.
Anderberg : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements Ander- (from the personal name Anders or possibly from a placename such as Anderstorp) + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Appelberg : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements apel ‘apple tree’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Arenberg : Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name composed of the personal name A(a)ron + German Berg ‘mountain’.
Barch : 2: North German: topographic name from a Low German dialect form of Berg ‘mountain hill’ (see Barg). This surname is very rare in Germany.3: Americanized form of Hungarian Barcs: from the old personal name Barcs.1: Americanized form of German Bartsch.4: Americanized form of Czech Barč a cognate of German Bartsch.
Bardon : 1: English: habitational name from Bardon in Leicestershire named with Old English berg ‘hill mound barrow’ + dūn ‘hill’ meaning ‘barrow hill’.2: English: variant of Barden.3: Irish: Anglicized form of Ó Bárdáin see Barden 4.4: French: from a derivative of the Old French personal name Bard(e) ancient Germanic Bardo from barta ‘battle axe’ (see Bard 1).5: German: of French origin (see 4 above) or a variant of Pardon.6: Spanish (Bardón): probably a topographic name augmentative of barda ‘thorn’.
Bergan : 1: Norwegian: habitational name for someone from any of various farms in southeastern Norway named with Norwegian berg ‘mountain hill’ (Old Norse bjarg).2: Irish (Tipperary): variant of Bergin from Ó Beirgin.
Bergdahl : 1: Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements berg ‘mountain hill’ + an ornamental spelling of dal ‘valley’.2: Norwegian: habitational name from any of several farms named Bergdahl of the same etymology as 1 above.
Bergen : 1: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from any of various places called Bergen.2: 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).3: 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’.
Bergendahl : Swedish and Norwegian: ornamental name composed of the elements berg ‘mountain hill’ + an older spelling of dal ‘valley’.
Berget : 1: Norwegian: habitational name from any of several farm names especially in eastern Norway named with the definite singular form of berg ‘mountain hill’ (see Berg).2: French: topographic name a derivative of Berge ‘river bank’.
Berggren : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements berg ‘mountain hill’ + gren ‘branch’. Compare Bergren.
Berghaus : German: topographic name denoting a house on a hill a compound of Berg ‘mountain hill’ + Haus ‘house’. Compare Berges.
Berghorn : North German: topographic name for someone who lived by the corner of a mountain from Berg ‘mountain hill’ + Horn ‘corner’.
Berghuis : Dutch (mainly northeastern Netherlands): habitational name from any of several farmhouses named Berghuis (‘house on or by a hill’ from berg ‘hill’ + huis ‘house’) for instance near Wapenveld and Apeldoorn at the Veluwe in Gelderland.
Bergkamp : German and Dutch (of German origin): habitational name from a farmhouse located by an ‘enclosure on or by a hill’ from German Berg ‘mountain hill’ + Kamp ‘field domain’ (see Kamp).
Bergland : Norwegian: habitational name from any of several farmsteads named Bergland from Berg ‘mountain hill’ (Old Norse bjarg) + land ‘(piece of) land farm’.
Berglund : Swedish and Norwegian: ornamental name composed of the elements berg ‘mountain hill’ + lund ‘grove’.
Bergman : 1: Swedish: ornamental or topographic name from berg ‘mountain hill’ + man ‘man’ or a habitational name for someone from a place named with the word berg. The surname which is also found in Finland may also be of German (compare 3 below) or Dutch (see 2 below) origin.2: Dutch: topographic name denoting an upland dweller from berg (see Berg) ‘mountain hill’ + man ‘man’.3: Altered form of German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) Bergmann. This form of the surname is also found in Czechia Poland and some other European countries.
Bergmark : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements berg ‘mountain hill’ + mark ‘ground field land’.
Bergo : Norwegian: habitational name from any of various farmsteads named Bergo from the dative plural form of berg ‘mountain hill’.
Bergquist : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements berg ‘mountain hill’ + quist an old or ornamental spelling of kvist ‘twig’. Compare Berquist.
Bergschneider : German: topographic name for someone living by a mountain trail (cut into the hillside) from Berg ‘mountain hill’ + Schneit ‘trail path running on a border’ (Old High German sneita).
Bergstedt : 1: Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements berg ‘mountain hill’ + stedt ‘place homestead’ the latter borrowed from Low German.2: North German: habitational name from Bergstedt part of Hamburg. This surname is also found in South Africa.
Bergstein : Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial compound of German Berg ‘mountain hill’ + Stein ‘stone’.
Bergsten : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements berg ‘mountain hill’ + sten ‘stone’.
Bergstrand : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements berg ‘mountain hill’ + strand ‘shore’.
Bergstresser : Americanized form of German Bergsträsser a habitational name for someone from the Bergstrasse an area along the Odenwald north of Heidelberg or a topographic name for someone who lived by a mountain road from Berg ‘mountain hill’ + Strasse ‘street road’.
Bergstrom : Swedish (Bergström): ornamental name composed of the elements berg ‘mountain hill’ + ström ‘river’.
Bergum : Norwegian: habitational name from a farmstead named Bergum from the dative plural of berg ‘mountain hill’.
Bergwall : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements berg ‘mountain hill’ (possibly from a placename) + wall a variant of vall ‘field’.
Berkheimer : South German:: 1: habitational name for someone from either of two places called Berkheim near Biberach and near Esslingen in Württemberg. The placename is a compound of Old High German berg ‘mountain hill’ + the common suffix of placenames -heim (related to English home).2: in some cases possibly a habitational name for someone from any of various places in Hesse and Alsace named Bergheim.
Berven : Norwegian: habitational name from a farmstead named Berven from berg ‘mountain hill’ (Old Norse bjarg) + vin ‘meadow’.
Birnberg : Jewish (Ashenazic): artificial name from German Birn ‘pear’ + Berg ‘mountain’.
Bjorge : Norwegian (Bjørge): habitational name from bjarg berg ‘mountain hill’ i.e. ‘the farm below the mountain’.
Bjornberg : Swedish (Björnberg): ornamental name meaning literally ‘bear mountain’ from björn ‘bear’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Blackborow : from any of several places named from Old English blæc ‘black’ or blāc ‘pale’ + burg ‘stronghold’ or berg ‘hill mound’ (there is often confusion between these elements) such as Blackborough (Devon Norfolk) or perhaps Blackberry in Westerleigh (Gloucs).
Blasberg : 1: German: habitational name from a place called with Middle High German blas ‘bald’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name a compound of Yiddish blas or German blass ‘pale’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Bleiberg : Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name compound from German Blei ‘lead’ + Berg ‘hill’.
Blomberg : 1: Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements blom ‘flower’ + berg ‘mountain hill’. Compare Bloomberg.2: Danish: habitational name from a place so named.3: German: habitational name from either of two places called Blomberg in Lippe district and Friesland.4: Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Blumberg.
Blumberg : 1: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial compound meaning ‘flower hill’ (from Yiddish blum or German Blume ‘flower’ + German berg ‘mountain hill’).2: German: habitational name from any of various places called Blumberg for instance in the Blackforest (Baden-Württemberg). Compare Bloomberg.
Blumenberg : 1: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name composed of German Blume ‘flower’ + German Berg ‘mountain hill’.2: German: habitational name from any of several places called Blumenberg for example in Brandenburg. This surname is also found in Sweden.
Boberg : 1: German: habitational name from a place so named east of Hamburg and in Lippe district.2: Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements bo ‘dwelling farm’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.3: Norwegian: habitational name from any of various farmsteads named Boberg from bo ‘dwelling farm’ or the Old Norse personal name Baugi + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Brackenbury : English (Lincolnshire): habitational name from Brackenborough in Lincolnshire or occasionally from Brackenbury Farm in Harefield Middlesex or another minor place called with Middle English braken ‘bracken’ (Old English bræcen or Old Norse brakni) + Old Norse berg or Old English beorg ‘hill’.
Bredenberg : 1: North German: habitational name from any of several farmsteads named with Middle Low German brēd ‘broad wide’ + berg ‘mountain hill’. This surname is very rare in Germany.2: Swedish: ornamental name composed of the same elements as 1 above. This surname is also found in Finland.
Brimberry : Americanized form of Swedish Brunberg: ornamental name from brun ‘brown’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Broberg : 1: Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements bro ‘bridge’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.2: Norwegian: habitational name from a farm name with the same meaning as 1 above.
Bromberg : Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): habitational name from Bromberg (from Brom(beere) ‘bramble’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’) the Yiddish or German name of the city of Bydgoszcz in Poland.
Carlberg : Swedish:: 1: ornamental name composed of karl ‘man’ or Karl as a personal name or Karl- as a placename element (from placenames such as Karlstad and also from Kalamark in northern Sweden where the first element is probably Finnish kala ‘fish’) + berg ‘mountain hill’.2: habitational name from the common placename and farm name Karlberg typically formed with the personal name Karl. Compare Karlberg.
Cederberg : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements ceder ‘cedar’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Cornberg : based on the German words Korn ‘corn’ + Berg ‘hill mountain’.
Dahlberg : Norwegian and Swedish: from a compound of dal ‘valley’ + berg ‘mountain hill’ found as a farm name. In Sweden it is also an ornamental name.
Dunkelberger : Jewish (Ashkenazic):: 1: artificial name literally meaning ‘man from the dark mountain’ from German dunkel ‘dark’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’ + -er suffix denoting an inhabitant.2: topographic name for someone living on the shady side of a mountain from Dunk (see Dunker) + Berg ‘mountain hill’.
Edberg : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements ed ‘passage isthmus’ (probably from a placename) + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Egeberg : Danish and Norwegian: habitational name from a place called with Old Norse eik ‘oak’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Ehrenberg : 1: German: habitational name from any of several places so named.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial compound of German Ehre ‘honor’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’.
Eichberger : German: habitational name for someone from any of several places called Eichberg or Aichberg ‘oak hill’ from Middle High German eich(e) ‘oak’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Eichelberg : 1: German: habitational name from any of various places notably one southeast of Heidelberg named from Middle High German eichel ‘acorn’ + berc ‘mountain hill’ or a topographic name for someone who lived on an oak-covered hill.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial compound of German Eichel ‘acorn’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’.
Eisenberg : 1: German: habitational name from any of several places so named from Middle High German īsen ‘iron’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): adoption of 1.
Ekberg : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements ek ‘oak’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Enberg : 1: Swedish: probably an ornamental name composed of the elements en ‘juniper’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.2: Norwegian: habitational name from a farmstead so named from Old Norse einir ‘juniper’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.3: German: habitational name from a place so named in Allgäu.
Engberg : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements eng a variant of äng ‘meadow’ (possibly from a placename) + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Fagerberg : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements fager ‘beautiful’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Falkenberg : 1: German: habitational name from any of several places especially in eastern Germany and Bavaria named from Old High German falk ‘falcon’ + berg ‘mountain hill’; such placenames are often associated with the presence of a castle as falconry was a privilege of the nobility.2: Scandinavian: habitational name or ornamental name from falk ‘falcon’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.3: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name composed of the German elements Falke(n) ‘falcon’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’.
Feinberg : Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name composed of German fein ‘fine’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’.
Feldberg : 1: German: habitational name from any of several places called Feldberg for example in Hesse or the Black Forest.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name composed of German Feld ‘field’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’.
Feltenberger : German: probably a habitational name composed with the medieval personal name Felten a variant of Velten a short form of Valentin + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Finberg : 1: Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Feinberg.2: Swedish: probably an ornamental name from fin ‘fine’ or finn ‘Finnish’ + berg ‘mountain hill’. This surname is also found in Finland but it is very rare in both countries. In North America it may also be an altered form of the more common variant Finnberg.
Floberg : 1: Swedish: ornamental name probably from the placename element flo ‘small water swamp’ (compare 2 below) + berg ‘mountain hill’.2: Norwegian: habitational name from a farm so named in eastern Norway from flo ‘puddle small lake’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Fogelberg : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements fogel an ornamental (old) spelling of fågel ‘bird’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Forsberg : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements fors ‘rapids waterfall’ + berg ‘mountain hill’. Compare Fosberg and Fosburg.
Fosberg : 1: Norwegian: variant of Fossberg a habitational name from a farm named Fossberg from Old Norse fors ‘waterfall’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.2: Americanized form of Swedish Forsberg.
Frankenberg : 1: German: habitational name from a place in northern Hesse named as ‘fort (Old High German burg) of the Franks’. Situated on the border with the Saxons Frankenberg was founded c. 1230.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from this place or an artificial name from German Franken + Berg ‘mountain hill mountain’.
Freberg : 1: Swedish: habitational name from a farm or village named Freberg(a) of which there are at least three examples in Sweden possibly with the same etymology as 2.2: Norwegian: from any of the three farmsteads named Freberg from Freyja (the Old Norse goddess of love) + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Fredenberg : Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements fred ‘peace’ + berg ‘mountain hill’. The infix -en- which is of German origin is a relatively common feature of Swedish surnames.
Freiberg : German: habitational name from any of several places called Freiberg from Middle High German vrī ‘free independent’ + berg ‘mountain hill’ (possibly an altered form of burg ‘castle fortified town’).
Freudenberg : 1: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name composed of German Freude ‘joy’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’.2: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from any of several places called Freudenberg from Middle High German vreude ‘joy’ + berc ‘hill’.
Friberg : 1: Scandinavian: either an ornamental name composed of fri ‘free’ + berg ‘mountain hill’ or a habitational name from a place so named.2: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Freiberg.
Friedberg : German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from any of several places so named from Middle High German vride ‘peace security protection’ + berg ‘mountain hill’. The Jewish name is more often artificial from German Friede ‘peace’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Froberg : 1: Swedish (Fröberg): habitational name from any of several places in Sweden named Fröberga from frö ‘fertile rich’ or from the name of the Nordic goddess Fröja + berg ‘mountain hill’; or possibly an ornamental name composed of the same elements.2: Danish (Frøberg): habitational name from a place called Frøbjerg.3: North German: habitational name from Frohburg Saxony (also recorded as Froberg in the 16th century).4: North German: possibly also from the female personal name Froburg.
Fugleberg : 1: Norwegian: habitational name from any of several farmsteads so named for example in Ringerike from fugl ‘bird’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.2: Danish: habitational name from any of several places called Fuglebjerg composed of the same elements as the Norwegian name (see 1 above).
Furstenberg : German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) (Fürstenberg): habitational name from any of the many places so named from the genitive case of Old High German furisto ‘prince’ modern German Fürst (see Furst) + berg ‘mountain hill’. As a Jewish surname it is mainly artificial.
Gartenberg : Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name composed of German Garten ‘garden’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’.
Gilberg : 1: Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): variant of Hilberg. The initial g is due to Russian influence since Russian has no h and alters it to g in borrowed words and names.2: Norwegian: habitational name from the name of several farms from Old Norse gildra ‘trap’ + berg ‘mountain hill’ i.e. a mountain with an animal trap.3: Swedish: variant of Gillberg probably a habitational name from the placename Gillberga or an ornamental name from any other placename beginning with Gill- + the ornamental element berg ‘mountain hill’.
Glassberg : Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name composed of German Glas ‘glass’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’.
Goldberg : 1: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from any of numerous places in German-speaking lands called Goldberg. The placename is composed of German Gold ‘gold’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name a compound of German Gold ‘gold’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’.
Goldenberg : Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name a compound of German golden ‘golden’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’. In some instances it may be a habitational name from a place called Goldenberg in Zurich (Switzerland).
Granberg : 1: Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements gran ‘spruce’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.2: Norwegian: habitational name from any of several farmsteads so named from gran ‘spruce’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Grauberger : 1: German: habitational name for someone from a place called Grauberg ‘gray mountain’.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German grau ‘gray’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’ + the agent suffix -er.
Grinberg : 1: Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): variant of Grünberg (see Grunberg).2: Swedish: ornamental name composed of an unexplained first element + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Gronberg : Swedish (Grönberg): ornamental name composed of the elements grön ‘green’ + berg ‘mountain hill’.
Grossberg : 1: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name composed of German gross ‘large’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’.2: German: habitational name from either of two places so named.
Grunberg : 1: Jewish (Ashkenazic; Grünberg): artificial name from German grün ‘green’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’.2: German (Grünberg): habitational name from any of numerous places called Grünberg. Compare Greenberg Gruenberg and Greenhill.
Guggisberg : Swiss German: habitational name from a place called with gugge guggi ‘cuckoo’ or ‘toad’ + berg ‘mountain hill’. South German guggi ‘toad’ may be a derivative of gug an old word meaning ‘swamp’.
Guttenberg : 1: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from any of various places for example in Bavaria called Guttenberg from the weak dative case (originally used after a preposition and article) of Old High German guot ‘good’ + berg ‘mountain hill’. The shortening of the vowel in the first syllable through double consonance is a feature found in various dialects of German.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name composed of German gut ‘good’ + Berg ‘mountain hill’.
More
Source : DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press
FANBI : The Oxford Dictionary if Family Names in Britain and Ireland, ©2016, University of the West of England
Subject to the Terms and Conditions of Ancestry
