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

Bare, 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 Bare surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bare in America

Bare is the 4836th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bare surname appeared 7,291 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Bare.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bare 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 Bare

The surname BARE is of English origin, with its roots dating back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who went "bare" or barefoot. This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have been individuals of humble means, perhaps peasants or laborers who could not afford shoes.

In the early 13th century, the name appears in various historical documents, such as the Curia Regis Rolls of 1208, which mention a William Bare. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also record a Robert le Bare, indicating the use of the Norman-French prefix "le" to denote a surname.

One notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Bare, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. His bravery and valor were recognized, and he was granted lands in Lincolnshire.

The Bare surname can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Bare in Lancashire and Bare in Dorset. These locations may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name over time.

In the 16th century, the spelling "Bare" became more standardized, as evidenced by records from the Parish Registers of St. Mary's Church in Warwick, which mention a Thomas Bare in 1592.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Bare surname. These include:

1. Christopher Bare (1588-1670), an English clergyman and author known for his treatise on the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England.
2. William Bare (1605-1679), a prominent merchant and politician who served as Sheriff of London in 1662.
3. Mary Bare (1633-1701), an English Quaker preacher and author who advocated for religious tolerance and women's rights.
4. Richard Bare (1720-1788), a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.
5. John Bare (1781-1858), an English landscape painter renowned for his depictions of rural scenery and coastal views.

While the Bare surname may have humble beginnings, its bearers have left their mark across various fields throughout history, from warfare and politics to religion and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bare

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

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

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

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