2000
#3,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,501
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.89
Uncommon Last name
Barbee
A surname derived from the Old French word "barbe," referring to someone with a beard or a barber.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,921 Americans carry the last name Barbee. That puts it at #3,371 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.48 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 28,752 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Barbee surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 28,752
Census rank
#3,371
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,396 bearers of the surname Barbee in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.48 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3371st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Barbee, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.3%. The next largest groups are Black (23.4%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Barbee
The surname BARBEE is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "barbier," meaning "barber." This occupation-based surname emerged in the Middle Ages, indicating an association with the trade of haircutting and shaving.
The earliest known recorded instances of the name BARBEE date back to the 13th century in regions of northern France. It is believed that the name was initially adopted by individuals who worked as barbers or were affiliated with the barbering profession.
One of the earliest documented references to the BARBEE surname can be found in the "Livre des Métiers" (Book of Trades), a medieval French manuscript from the late 13th century. This text mentions several individuals bearing the surname BARBEE, indicating their involvement in the barber's guild.
In the 14th century, historical records reveal the presence of the BARBEE name in the region of Normandy, France. A notable figure from this era was Jean BARBEE, a barber who lived in the town of Rouen during the 1360s. His name appears in local tax records and guild registers.
As the surname spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, including BARBE, BARBET, and BARBEAU. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local pronunciation patterns.
During the 16th century, the BARBEE surname gained prominence in England, likely introduced by Norman settlers after the conquest of 1066. One notable English figure was William BARBEE, a barber-surgeon who practiced in London during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603).
In the 17th century, the BARBEE name found its way to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Robert BARBEE, who arrived in Virginia from England in 1635. He established a successful barbering business and became a prominent figure in the Jamestown settlement.
Another notable figure was Jacques BARBEE, a French barber who accompanied the explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, on his expeditions in the late 17th century. Jacques BARBEE's name appears in various journals and records documenting La Salle's explorations of the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico region.
Throughout history, the BARBEE surname has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, not limited to the barbering trade. However, its origins remain firmly rooted in the occupation of haircutting and grooming, reflecting the importance of this craft in medieval European societies.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Barbee
Among Census respondents with the surname Barbee, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.3%. The next largest groups are Black (23.4%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Barbee bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Barbee surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White67.3% · 7,001
- Black or African American23.4% · 2,428
- Two or more races4.7% · 493
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 348
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 72
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 54
Timeline
Historical Census data for Barbee
Barbee appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,151
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,470
+969 bearers (+9.2%)
Per 100,000 3.89
Rank movement Down 2 places
2020
#3,371
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,396
-1,074 bearers (-9.4%)
Per 100,000 3.48
Rank movement Down 220 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,149 | 10,501 | 3.89 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,151 | 11,470 | 3.89 | +969 bearers (+9.2%) | Down 2 places |
| 2020 | #3,371 | 10,396 | 3.48 | -1,074 bearers (-9.4%) | Down 220 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Barbee surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,151 | #3,371 | -7.0% |
| Count | 11,470 | 10,396 | -9.4% |
| Per 100K | 3.89 | 3.48 | -10.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Barbee bearers went from 11,470 to 10,396 (-9.4% change). The surname moved down 220 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,151 to #3,371.
FAQ
Barbee surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Barbee?
Name Census estimates that about 11,921 living Americans carry the surname Barbee. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 28,752 residents.
How common is Barbee?
Barbee ranks #3,371 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.48 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,396 people with the surname Barbee. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,921), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.48 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.48 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Barbee.
Has Barbee become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Barbee went from 11,470 recorded bearers to 10,396. That is a decrease of 1,074 (-9.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,151 to #3,371.
What does the Census say about the background of Barbee?
Among Census respondents with the surname Barbee, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.3%. The next largest groups are Black (23.4%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Barbee in the 2020 Census, accounting for 67.3% (7,001 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Barbee appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (67.3%), Black (23.4%), Two or More Races (4.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Barbee (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Barbee mean?
A surname derived from the Old French word "barbe," referring to someone with a beard or a barber. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Barbee (3.48 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Barbee?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Barbee on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.