Bernard Family History, Genealogy & Ancestry

The Bernard Family

2,815 Bernard records from public death, burial and census records and the old county histories, in all 12 Midwestern states we cover. Every name is a real person in the public record, and we follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

2,815Records in our database

1799Earliest birth

3Documented families

2Biographies

See the Bernard family trees →232 Bernard families pieced together from public birth and death records, county histories and old newspapers

At a glance

2,815 Bernard records in our database

From public death, burial and census records across 12 Midwestern states. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how). Tap a state or a decade to narrow the list of ancestors below.

Where

fewer more

When they were born

Most records: Ohio (668 of 2,815)
Most common birth decade: the 1910s
Earliest birth in the database: Cornelius Bernard, born 1804, Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa
Earliest in the county histories: George W. Bernard, born 1799

Most common first names

John72 Joseph64 Mary63 William59 Charles47 Frank46 George43 Edward38 Robert38 James37 Margaret34 Helen32

Documented families

Bernard families we have traced

Written from county histories and public records, every fact cited. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

Family histories, generation by generation (1)

The Bernard family of Clinton CountyOhioStarts: William Bernard and Mary (Fleming) BernardMost recent: James K. Bernard (b. 1835)

Family records from county histories (2)

Cornelius Bernard 1804 to 1887Des Moines County, IowaStarts: Cornelius Bernard (b. 1804)Most recent: Jennie M. Bernard Jennie M. Bernard b. 1860Des Moines County, IowaStarts: Cornelius Bernard & Martha M. WhiteMost recent: Herbert Miller Mercer, Harry Bernard Mercer, Ralph Paul Mercer

The earliest Bernards in the county histories

George W. BernardBorn 1799Child of Thomas Bernard and Mary BernardClinton County, Ohio Cornelius BernardBorn 1804Des Moines County, Iowa John BernardBorn 1819Cooper County, Missouri W. R. BernardBorn 1823, Augusta countyJackson County, Missouri William P. BernardBorn 1824Child of Thomas J. Bernard and Mary BernardClinton County, Ohio James K. BernardBorn 1835Child of Thomas Bernard and Mary (Hicks) BernardClinton County, Ohio

Family trees from the public record

232 Bernard families: parents, brothers and sistersFrom state birth and death indexes, county histories and old newspapers, most recent deaths first

In old newspapers

7 Bernard death notices, 1837 to 1925Obituaries and funeral notices from Midwest papers scanned by the Library of Congress, with the original pages

In the county history family index

14 Bernard people in 8 countiesBirth years, birthplaces, parents and spouses, from the old county histories

Biographies from the county histories (2)

George W. BernardBorn 1799 · Clinton County, Ohio William P. BernardBorn 1824 · Clinton County, Ohio

Done-for-you research

Trace your documented Bernard family

Found your Bernard? We trace your family back as far as the records go and write it up as a family history book, every source cited. No DNA test and no sales call: we take a free first look, then email you a plan and a flat price before you spend a dollar.

Common questions

Bernard genealogy: FAQ

Where were Bernard ancestors recorded?

Our database holds 2,815 Bernard records from all 12 Midwestern states. The most are in Ohio (668), then Missouri (534) and Illinois (377).

How far back does the Bernard family tree go?

The earliest Bernard birth in our database is 1804: Cornelius Bernard, Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa. The old county histories name George W. Bernard, born 1799. We have pieced together 232 Bernard family trees from public birth and death records.

Are living Bernard family members listed here?

Not knowingly. We follow set rules to leave living people out of our public pages. If you find a living relative listed here, email us and we will take the record down.

Is this my Bernard family?

Maybe. Many people share a name, so treat any match as a possible match until the dates and places line up with what you know about your family. Every person here links to their own page with the details, and we can trace your line for you.