Origin of the name BERNHEIM (Bernheimer)

 

Surnames derive from one of many different origins. Sometimes there may be more than one explanation for the same name. This family name is a toponymic (derived from a geographic name of a town, city, region or country). Surnames that are based on place names do not always testify to direct origin from that place, but may indicate an indirect relation between the name-bearer or his ancestors and the place, such as birth place, temporary residence, trade, or family-relatives.

 

Bernheim, a common Alsatian name among Ashkenazi Jews, is associated with the village of Bernheim in Bavaria (Bayern), south Germany. The Jewish surname has been associated with the localities of Burgbernheim and Mainbernheim in Franconia, Germany. One of the earliest appearances, Bernheim was recorded as a Jewish surname in Bionville, France, in 1724.

 

Distinguished bearers of the Jewish family name Bernheim include the French psychiatrist and educator Hippolyte Bernheim (1844-1919); the German historian, Ernst Bernheim (1850-1942), the 20th Century Philanthropist Isaac W. Bernheim; and the 20th century French industrialist, Hubert Bernheim.