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

Barber, 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 Barber surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Barber in America

Barber is the 406th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Barber surname appeared 78,848 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 27 people would have the surname Barber.

We can also compare 2010 data for Barber 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 Barber

The surname Barber originated in England, deriving from the Old French word 'barbour', meaning a barber or one who trims beards. The name first appeared in historical records in the late 12th century, following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

One of the earliest known references to the name Barber can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which recorded those holding lands and revenues in England. The rolls mention a John le Barbur in Oxfordshire. The surname also appears in the Calendarium Genealogicum, a chronicle of English noble families compiled in the late 13th century.

The Barber surname has its roots in the occupation of a barber, traditionally a respected trade in medieval times. Barbers not only trimmed hair and beards but also performed minor surgical procedures such as bloodletting and tooth extractions. The name was often associated with skilled craftsmen and tradespeople in towns and cities.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various spellings, including Barbour, Barbur, and Barbor. One notable individual from this period was John Barbour (c. 1320-1395), a Scottish poet and the author of the historical narrative poem "The Brus", which recounts the life of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots.

During the Tudor period (1485-1603), the Barber surname was well-established in England. An example is Richard Barber (c. 1510-1567), who served as the first Groom of the Chamber to Queen Elizabeth I. Another notable figure was William Barber (c. 1600-1667), an English clergyman and one of the first settlers in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

In the 17th century, the name Barber also gained prominence in Ireland, where it was often anglicized from the Irish surname Ó Báirbre or Ó Báirr. One significant individual from this period was Ambrose Barber (c. 1585-1641), a celebrated Irish scholar and philosopher.

As the Barber surname spread across the British Isles and beyond, it continued to be associated with various professions and achievements. For instance, Samuel Barber (1910-1981) was an American composer known for his works such as the Adagio for Strings and the opera Vanessa.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Barber

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

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 Barber 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 Barber 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 Barber was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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