2000
#125,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Barbi
An Italian surname derived from the word "barba" meaning "beard" or "uncle."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Barbi. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Barbi 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Barbi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Barbi, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.1%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Barbi
The surname BARBI is believed to have originated in Italy during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Italian word "barba," which means "beard." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a prominent beard.
The earliest recorded instances of the BARBI surname can be traced back to the 14th century in various regions of Italy, particularly in the cities of Florence and Siena. Some of the earliest known bearers of this name include Giovanni Barbi, a merchant from Florence who was mentioned in historical records from the late 1300s.
During the Renaissance period, the BARBI family gained prominence in the city of Venice. One notable figure was Francesco Barbi, a renowned painter who lived from 1460 to 1530. His works can be found in several churches and museums throughout Italy, showcasing the artistic talent associated with this surname.
In the 16th century, the BARBI name appeared in various historical documents across Italy. For instance, the "Codice Diplomatico Longobardo" (Longobard Diplomatic Code) from the 1500s contains references to individuals with the BARBI surname, indicating their presence in various noble families and legal proceedings of that era.
Another prominent figure was Girolamo Barbi, a scholar and historian who lived from 1585 to 1657. He wrote extensively on the history of the Venetian Republic and his works are considered valuable sources for understanding that period.
Moving forward to the 18th century, the BARBI surname gained recognition in the field of literature. Pietro Barbi, born in 1719 and died in 1799, was a renowned Italian poet and writer. His literary works, including poetry collections and plays, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.
Throughout history, the BARBI surname has been associated with various professions, including merchants, artists, scholars, and writers. While the name originated in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage with other families.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Barbi
Among Census respondents with the surname Barbi, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.1%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Barbi 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 Barbi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.3% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino7.1% · 8
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Barbi
Barbi 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
#132,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
+2 bearers (+1.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,567 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-15 bearers (-11.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,015 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #125,639 | 126 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #132,206 | 128 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.6%) | Down 6,567 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-11.7%) | Down 15,015 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 Barbi 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 | #132,206 | #147,221 | -11.4% |
| Count | 128 | 113 | -11.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Barbi bearers went from 128 to 113 (-11.7% change). The surname moved down 15,015 positions in the national ranking, going from #132,206 to #147,221.
FAQ
Barbi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Barbi?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Barbi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Barbi?
Barbi ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Barbi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Barbi.
Has Barbi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Barbi went from 128 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 15 (-11.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #132,206 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Barbi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Barbi, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.1%) and Black (0.9%). 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 Barbi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.3% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Barbi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.3%), Hispanic (7.1%), Black (0.9%). 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 Barbi (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 Barbi mean?
An Italian surname derived from the word "barba" meaning "beard" or "uncle." 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 Barbi (0.04 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 share the surname Barbi?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.