Find out how popular the last name Barba is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Barba.

Barba, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Barba surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Barba in America

Barba is the 3268th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Barba surname appeared 11,043 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Barba.

We can also compare 2010 data for Barba to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Barba

The surname "BARBA" is of Italian origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "barba," which means "beard." This surname likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone with a prominent or distinctive beard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the historical documents of Genoa, Italy, where a certain Giovanni Barba was mentioned in the 13th century. This region, particularly the coastal areas of Liguria and the cities of Genoa and Savona, is considered a stronghold for the Barba surname.

During the Renaissance period, the name gained further prominence with the renowned Italian artist and engraver, Jacopo della Barba, who lived from around 1550 to 1615. His etchings and engravings, often depicting biblical scenes and mythological subjects, were highly regarded and influential in his time.

In the 17th century, the Barba surname made its way to Spain, where it was sometimes spelled as "Barba" or "Barva." One notable figure from this era was Pedro Barba de Campos, a Spanish jurist and magistrate who lived from 1590 to 1660.

The name also spread to other parts of Europe, including France, where it was sometimes rendered as "Barbeau" or "Barbault." In the 18th century, Jean-Jacques Barbault, a French mathematician and astronomer, made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the calculation of planetary orbits.

Across the Atlantic, the Barba surname found its way to the Americas, particularly in regions with strong Italian and Spanish influences. One notable figure was Domingo Barba, a 19th-century Mexican politician and military leader who played a role in the Mexican-American War and the Reform War in Mexico.

Despite its long history, the surname "BARBA" has remained relatively uncommon, but it continues to be carried by families with Italian, Spanish, and other European ancestries, serving as a testament to its rich cultural heritage and linguistic origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Barba

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Barba.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Barba was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Barba has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Barba was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Barba, please contact us.

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