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

Barbera, 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 Barbera surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Barbera in America

Barbera is the 8861st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Barbera surname appeared 3,696 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Barbera.

We can also compare 2010 data for Barbera 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 Barbera

The surname Barbera originated in Italy, specifically in the regions of Sicily and Calabria. It is derived from the Italian word "barba," meaning "beard," and likely referred to someone with a prominent beard or an ancestor with a distinguished beard.

The name Barbera can be traced back to the 12th century, with early records mentioning individuals bearing this surname in various Italian regions. One notable historical reference is found in the Sicilian Vespers, a rebellion against the French occupation in 1282, where several individuals named Barbera were mentioned as participants.

In the 14th century, the Barbera family was recorded in the city of Palermo, Sicily, where they held significant influence and power. Girolamo Barbera (1345-1421), a prominent merchant and landowner, was a notable member of this family during that time.

The name Barbera also appeared in the town of Castelbuono, located in the Madonie Mountains of Sicily, where the Barbera family owned vast lands and estates. Tommaso Barbera (1520-1587), a wealthy nobleman and patron of the arts, was a prominent figure in Castelbuono during the Renaissance period.

As the surname spread throughout Italy, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Barbieri, Barbaro, and Barbieri. One of the earliest recorded instances of the Barbera spelling is found in a document from the city of Reggio Calabria, dated 1487, mentioning a certain Antonello Barbera.

In the 16th century, the Barbera family gained prominence in the city of Naples, where they were involved in the silk trade. Gaspare Barbera (1567-1632), a successful silk merchant, was a notable figure in Neapolitan society during that period.

Another notable individual with the surname Barbera was Francesco Barbera (1718-1791), a renowned architect from Palermo, Sicily. He designed several churches and palaces in the city, including the Church of San Domenico and the Palazzo Valguarnera.

Throughout the centuries, the Barbera surname has been associated with various professions, from merchants and landowners to artists and intellectuals. Individuals with this surname have left their mark on Italian history and culture, and the name continues to be widespread in Italy, particularly in the southern regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Barbera

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

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

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

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