Tests conducted on Berube Y-DNA allows us to localize our ancestors from 1500 to 2000 years ago in the north of the Elbe river, probably in Pomerania, a territory belonging to Germany nowadays, but which was part a long time ago of the Danish kingdom. The inhabited by Northern Germans, Slavs and Danes, this territory experienced migrations comparable, at a lower scale, to those of the Angles and of the Saxons towards England in the 5th and 6th centuries. Let’s remember also those of the men from the north (Northmen) who founded the Kingdom of Jorvik (York) in England, in 866, or Normandy in France, in 911. Our ancestor Damian (1646 to 1688) came from Normandy and the Berubes of France were concentrated, at least in the middle of the 16th century, around Rouen. It is therefore highly possible that the first Berube from France arrived at Rouen, around 1420-1430, among the artisans, notably masons in great numbers, during the English occupation of this city (Hundred Year War). The Berubys of the Middle-Age in England, being part of the privileged class of Anglo-Normans, their ancestors probably arrived in this country with the invasion of 1066 or its wake. It is difficult at this time to say what might have happened between the 5th and 11th century, taking into account the constant coming and going between the Danish kingdom, England and Normandy.
Our surname also travelled a lot during the 18th century, from Europe to America, but also toward Africa, notably Madagascar, even India. Under a different spelling, it has already travelled in the 16th century between Spain, the Basque Country, the Netherlands, France and England, probably Ireland too. You can read about this the document titled Master Mariners De Beroby and Bérubé
Michel Bérubé
Updated July 2018
