This page is historical. Follow this link for the current version.
Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

Bernard m. Old High German, Old Saxon bero 'bear' + Old Saxon hard, Old High German hart 'strong, hard'

The name of a number of 12th and 13th C saints, the most famous being Bernard of Clairvaux, reformer of the Cistercian order.

Austria
Latin
1237 Bernhardus (nom) hennes-vol1 96
Brabant
Latin
1312 Bernardus (nom) JeanIII p. 24
1312 Bernekinus (nom) JeanIII p. 24
Czech Republic
Latin
1349 Bernhardi (gen) chlumecky 16, Bernhardus (nom) ibid. 105; 1350 Bernhardi (gen) ibid. 208; 1353 Bernhardus (nom) ibid. 65; 1354 Bernhardo (abl) ibid. 59, Bernhardus (nom) ibid. 59; 1356 Bernhardus (nom) ibid. 148
England
Latin
1185x1186 Bernardi (gen) PR-XXXVI p. 2, Bernardo (dat) ibid. p. 2; 1189 Bernardi (gen) GASurv p. 132, Bernardus (nom) ibid. p. 78; 1279–80 Bernardus (nom) WaHR-SK p. 41; 1436 Barnardi (gen) WillsInv LIX; 1551 Barnardus (nom) StMartF p. 57
Dutch
1577 Bernard AuFr Eggherickx; 1579 Bernardt ibid. Egericks; 1595 Bernaert ibid. Foase; 1596 Bernaert ibid. Brouns; 1598 Bernaert ibid. Foase
Early Modern English
1530 Barnard LIWill-III p. 5, Bernarde ibid. p. 64; 1540 Barnard StAnthonlin p. 2; 1541 Bernard ibid. p. 3; 1552 Bernard ibid. p. 9; 1559 Bernard BUmar-vol2 p. 60; 1560 Barnard ibid. p. 60; 1590 Bernard DEmar-vol2 p. 22; 1593 Barnard BUmar-vol2 p. 65; 1594 Bernard DEmar-vol2 p. 28; 1598 Barnard (nom) DEmar-vol1 p. 87; 1599 Barnard StAnthonlin p. 39
Estonia
Middle Low German
1364 Bernd BbRT p. 334; 1376 Bernd ibid. p. 335; 1383 Bernd ibid. p. 337; 1387 Bernd ibid. p. 339; 1389 Bernd ibid. p. 339; 1390 Bernd ibid. p. 339; 1392 Bernd ibid. p. 340; 1396 Bernd ibid. p. 341; 1398 Bernd ibid. p. 342; 1399 Bernd ibid. p. 342; 1400 Bernd ibid. p. 342; 1409 Bernd ibid. p. 345; 1415 Bernd ibid. p. 347; 1419 Bernd ibid. p. 348, Bernt ibid. p. 348; 1420 Bernd ibid. p. 349; 1421 Bernd ibid. p. 349; 1422 Bernd ibid. p. 350; 1436 Bernd ibid. p. 358; 1437 Bernd ibid. p. 360; 1440 Bernd ibid. p. 362; 1442 Bernd ibid. p. 364; 1443 Bernd ibid. p. 365; 1444 Bernt ibid. p. 365
1592 Penno Tiik1977 p. 285
France
Latin
c823 Bernehardus (nom) irminon-vol2 44-45; 862x876 Bernardus (nom) InsMacon X, Bernarum (acc) ibid. X; 937x93 Barnardus (nom) St-Bernard-Romans no. 99; 942 Bernardi (gen) ibid. 131; 11thC Barnardi (gen) ibid. 125, Barnardus (nom) ibid. 125; 1030 Bernardus (nom) StVdM-II 712; 1030x70 Barnardus (nom) St-Bernard-Romans no. 103; 1031 Barnardus (nom) ibid. no. 107; 1046 Barnardus (nom) ibid. 139; 1047 Bernardi (gen) CartNDSaintes II; 1047x1061 Bernardus (nom) ibid. XV; 1050 Barnardus (nom) St-Bernard-Romans no. 100; 1058 Barnardus (nom) StVdM-II 694; 1060 Barnardus (nom) ibid. 730; 1060x1064 Bernarde (voc) ibid. 709; 1064x1079 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 690; 1065x1079 Bernardo (dat) ibid. 663; 1066 Bernardo (dat) ibid. 698; 1067x1086 Bernardo (dat) CartNDSaintes XIV, Bernardus (nom) ibid. XIV; 1073 Bernardi (gen) StVdM-II 679, Bernardo (abl) ibid. 679; 1075 Bernardo (abl) ibid. 731; 1079x1081 Bernardus (nom) CartNDSaintes XXI; 1090x1101 Bernardus (nom) CartStPC XLIII; 1094 Bernardi (gen) StVdM-II 686; 1101x1129 Bernardi (gen) CartStPC XXIII; a1116 Bernardi (gen) ibid. XX; 1119 Bernardo (abl) CartNDJosaphat VII; 1120 Bernardus (nom) ibid. VIII; 1121 Bernardo (abl) clairvaux-12thc 2, Bernardus (nom) ibid. 1; 1122–1126 Bernardi (gen) ibid. 3, Bernardo (abl) ibid. 3; 1126 Bernardus (nom) CartStPC IV; 1132 Bernardo (abl) clairvaux-12thc 5; 1133 Bernardi (gen) CartNDdOurscamp XXX; 1135 Bernardi (gen) clairvaux-12thc 7, Bernardus (nom) ibid. 7; 1136 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 8; 1138x62 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 90; 1144x53 Bernardi (gen) ibid. 25; 1144x1153 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 25; 1145 Bernardum (acc) ibid. 11; 1147 Bernardi (gen) ibid. 14, Bernardo (dat) CartNDSaintes XXV, clairvaux-12thc 14, Bernardus (nom) CartNDSaintes XXV, clairvaux-12thc 14; 1147x1153 Bernardi (nom) ibid. 26; 1147x1162 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 53; 1148 Bernardo (abl) CartNDSaintes XXIV, Bernardus (nom) ibid. XXIV; c1150 Bernardus (nom) CartSavII 200; 1163 Bernardus (nom) clairvaux-12thc 94; 1163–64 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 106; 1163x1173 Bernardi (gen) ibid. 156, Bernardus (nom) ibid. 156; 1164 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 120; 1165 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 126; 1167 Bernardus (nom) CartNDSaintes X; 1171 Bernardo (abl) clairvaux-12thc 142, Bernardus (nom) ibid. 141; 1173 Bernardi (gen) ibid. 157, Bernardus (nom) ibid. 151; 1179 Bernardi (gen) ibid. 180, Bernardo (abl) ibid. 176, Bernardus (nom) ibid. 176; 1180 Bernardo (abl) RotScaNor p. 19; 1190 Bernardus (nom) CartNDdOurscamp CIII; c1236 Bernardo (dat) ibid. CXLVIII; 1258 Bernardo (abl) ArrestReg-volI XIV, Candlemas; 1260 Bernardus (nom) ibid. X, St. Martin; 1261 Bernardo (abl) ibid. VI, BMV, Bernardus (nom) ibid. VI, BMV; 1273 Bernardi (gen) RegToul-13thC p. 30, Bernardo (abl) ibid. p. 19, Bernardum (acc) ibid. p. 26, Bernardus (nom) ibid. p. 19; 1274 Bernardi (gen) ibid. p. 51, Bernardo (abl) ibid. p. 61, Bernardum (acc) ibid. p. 27, Bernardus (nom) ibid. p. 27; 1283–86 Bernardi (gen) GasReg-A p. 227; 1287 Bernardus (nom) ibid. p. 74; 1300 Barnardi (gen) St-Bernard-Romans 382, Bernardi (gen) ibid. 382, Bernardonus (nom) ibid. 382, Bernardus (nom) ibid. 382; 1301 Bernardi (gen) MemPic-vol17 p. 180, Bernardus (nom) ibid. p. 200; 1310/11 Bernardus (nom) GasReg-A p. 100; 1310 Bernardus (nom) ibid. p. 217; 1310–11 Bernardus (nom) ibid. p. 236; 1311 Bernardo (abl) LibSenTou fol. 118, Bernardus (nom) ibid. fol. 118; 1378 Bernardi (gen) hanquetvol1 490, Bernardo (dat) ibid. 117, Bernardus (nom) ibid. 291; 1579 Bernardo (abl) FlorLyon p. 40
1179 Bernelet (abl) clairvaux-12thc 181; 1300 Bernardoni (gen) St-Bernard-Romans 382, Bernardonis (gen) ibid. 382; 1310/11 Vernardetus (nom) GasReg-A
Old French
1292 Bernart 1292paris p. 2; 1296 Bernart paris1296 p. 9; 1301 Bernard (obl) MemPic-vol17 p. 292, Bernars (nom) ibid. p. 233, Bernart (obl) ibid. p. 233; 1313 Bernard Paris1313 p. 99, Bernart ibid. p. 10
Middle French
1368 Bernart beauchet-vol1 p. 13; 1388 Bernard thierry; 1392 Bernart MemBret-II col. 610; 1418 Bernart HGParis p. 373; 1421 Bernard favier p. 174; 1438 Benard ibid. 500, Benart ibid. 145; 1562 Bernard RegPCC-1 p. 7; 1563 Bernard ibid. p. 34; 1588 Bernard raymond1588 p. 568
1392 Bernardin MemBret-II col. 608
Germany
Latin
822x875 Bernhard (nom) TradCorb §157, Bernhardo (abl) ibid. §25, Bernhardus (nom) ibid. §3; 905 Bernardum (acc) HambUrk-vol1 XXVI; 948 Bernardo (abl) ibid. XXXV; 983 Bernhardi (gen) ibid. XLVI; 988 Berenharti (gen) ibid. LI, Bernharti (gen) ibid. LI; 1134 Bernardus (nom) quix-vol1 97; 1142 Bernhardus (nom) mairhofer I, Perenhardus (nom) ibid. IV, Perinhart (nom) ibid. III; 1144 Berenhardus (nom) ibid. XV, Perenhardus (nom) ibid. XVI; 1211 Bernardus (nom) hennes-vol1 11; 1212 Bernhardus (nom) ibid. 12; 1214 Bernhardus (nom) ibid. 15; 1219 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 39; 1222 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 62; 1233 Bernardo (dat) CDL-1.1.1 XIV, Bernardum (acc) ibid. XIV; 1259 Bernardus (nom) ibid. XXXI; 1401 bernhardo (dat) HD1401 no. 108
Early New High German
1497 Bernhart Nurn1497 p. 2
Ireland
Latin
fin12thC Bearnardi (gen) MunDocIr III, p. 18, Bearnardus (nom) ibid. III, p. 11, Bernard (nom) ibid. III, p. 11, Bernardi (gen) ibid. III, p. 19
Italy
Latin
915 Bernardo (abl) RCI-Cam1 2; 1169 Bernardus (nom) clairvaux-12thc 135; 1237 Bernardus (nom) TirNot1 584; 1245 Bernhardus (nom) hennes-vol1 120; 1277 Bernardus (nom) BBC-Berg p. XLII; 1282 Bernardus (nom) ibid. p. XLVII; 1284 Bernardus (nom) ibid. p. XLIII; 1285 Bernardi (gen) Perugia1285 p. 154; 1326 Bernardi (gen) Friuli-14thC no. 439, Bernardo (abl) ibid. no. 423; 1327 Bernardi (gen) ibid. no. 449, Bernardum (acc) ibid. no. 449; 1527 Bernardus (nom) Rome1527 p. 83
1285 Bernardini (gen) Perugia1285 p. 157; 1522x1532 Berardini (gen) DSF p. 56, 3, Bernardinus (nom) ibid. p. 50; 1527 Bernardini (gen) Rome1527 p. 83, Bernardino (abl) ibid. p. 91, Bernardinus (nom) ibid. p. 83, Nardi (gen) ibid. p. 88
Latvia
Latin
1289 Bernardus (nom) RigSB 129; 1291 Bernardo (dat) ibid. 27; 1293 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 153; 1294 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 167; 1295 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 173; 1296 Bernardo (dat) ibid. 362, Bernardus (nom) ibid. 176; 1297 Bernardo (dat) ibid. 181, Bernardus (nom) ibid. 183; 1299 Bernardo (dat) ibid. 189, Bernardus (nom) ibid. 189; 1300 Bernardi (gen) ibid. 403; 1301 Bernardo (dat) ibid. 308; 1302 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 195; 1303 Bernardo (dat) ibid. 375; 1305 Bernardo (dat) ibid. 377; 1307 Bernardo (dat) ibid. 289; 1309 Bernardo (dat) ibid. 292; 1314 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 209; 1327 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 209; 1330 Bernardus (nom) ibid. 211
Middle Low German
1512 Bernt Mettig1892 p. 7; 1514 Bernt ibid. p. 11; 1545 Bernd Arbusow p. 99
The Netherlands
Latin
1235 Bernardus (nom) hennes-vol1 93
Dutch
1560 Barent MagMiddelburg-1560; 1561 Barent ibid., Bernard ibid.; 1562 Bernaerts (gen) ibid.; 1563 Bernard ibid., Berrnaerts (gen) ibid.; 1564 Bernard ibid.; 1573 Bernard ibid.; 1574 Bernard ibid.
Poland
Latin
1232 Bernhardus (nom) hennes-vol1 87
Portugal
Latin
1179 Bernardus (nom) PHGCRP-I no. 4
Scotland
Latin
1424 Bernardo (abl) RMSRS-2 11
Spain
Latin
11thC Bernardus (nom) CDCB-XV MMCCIV; 1006 Bernardus (nom) ibid. MMCLXVI; 1011 Bernardus (nom) ibid. MMCLXX, bernard (nom) ibid. MMCLXX; 1019 Bernard (nom) ibid. MMCLXXIV, Bernardo (abl) ibid. MMCLXXIV, Bernardus (nom) ibid. MMCLXXIV; 1020 Berard (nom) ibid. MMCLXXV, Bernar (nom) ibid. MMCLXXV, Bernard (nom) ibid. MMCLXXV; 1083 Bernardi (gen) ibid. MMCCI, Bernardus (nom) ibid. MMCCI; 1083x1086 Bernardus (nom) ibid. MMCCII; 1086 Bernardo (abl) ibid. MMCCIII, Bernardus (nom) ibid. MMCCIII; 1087 Bernard (nom) ibid. MMCCV, Bernardo (dat) ibid. MMCCV, Bernardum (acc) ibid. MMCCV; 1190 Bernad (abl) ibid. MMCCVII, Bernardi (gen) ibid. MMCCVI, Bernardo (abl) ibid. MMCCVII, Bernardus (nom) ibid. MMCCVI; 1192 Bernardi (gen) ibid. MMCCVIII, Bernardo (abl) ibid. MMCCVIII, Bernardum (acc) ibid. MMCCVIII, Bernardus (nom) ibid. MMCCVIII; 1276 Bernardi (gen) CDGH XLVI; 1487 Bernardi (gen) carbonell p. 11, Bernardus (nom) ibid. p. 10; 1488 Bernardi (gen) ibid. p. 17; 1489 Bernardi (gen) ibid. p. 31; 1490 Bernardi (gen) ibid. p. 48, Bernardus (nom) ibid. p. 42; 1491 Bernardi (gen) ibid. p. 52, Bernardus (nom) ibid. p. 52, p. 63; 1492 Bernardi (gen) ibid. p. 66, Bernardus (nom) ibid. p. 66
Catalan
1510 Bernadi valencia1510 4487, Bernardi ibid. 1119, Bernat ibid. 3337
1510 Bernaldino valencia1510 1434, Bernardino ibid. 4029
Spanish
1495 Bernat montalvo; 1567 Bernardo SanzSerrano
Switzerland
Latin
1157 Bernardi (gen) CartHaut 8; 14thCx1478 Bernardi (gen) Ob-SPVn (117)
Ukraine
Latin
1469 Bernardino (dat) AGZ-18 19, Bernardinum (acc) ibid. 19, Bernardinus (nom) ibid. 19
Cite as: G. Grim, R. Le Get, J. Uckelman, S.L. Uckelman. "Bernard". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2016, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2016/1/name/Bernard.