2000
#12,583
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,258
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.84
Rare Last name
Barefield
From the Old English "bær" meaning "bare" and "feld" meaning "open country," referring to one who lived on a barren field.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,766 Americans carry the last name Barefield. That puts it at #12,307 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.81 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 123,917 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Barefield 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Barefield with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.8K
1 in 123,917
Census rank
#12,307
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,412 bearers of the surname Barefield in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.81 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12307th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Barefield, the largest self-reported group is White at 51.6%. The next largest groups are Black (37.9%) and Two or More Races (5.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Barefield
The surname Barefield is believed to have originated in England, dating back to the early medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from a place called Barefield, which may have referred to a field or enclosure where barley was grown.
One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholdings and population commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Barevelda," suggesting a potential connection to the Old English words "bære" (barley) and "feld" (field).
In the 13th century, records show the name spelled as "Bareveld" and "Barfield," likely influenced by regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. It is believed that the suffix "-field" was later added to the name, forming the modern spelling of "Barefield."
Notable individuals bearing this surname include Sir John Barefield (1480-1547), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. Another early figure was William Barefield (1565-1632), a renowned scholar and clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Cambridge.
During the 17th century, the Barefield family established themselves in various regions of England, including Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. One notable member was Thomas Barefield (1612-1677), a successful merchant and philanthropist who contributed significantly to the development of his local community.
In the 18th century, the name gained further recognition with the birth of Robert Barefield (1725-1801), a renowned author and historian who wrote extensively about the English Civil War. His works are still widely studied and referenced by scholars today.
Another notable figure from this era was Elizabeth Barefield (1738-1816), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's education. She founded one of the first schools for girls in London and played a significant role in promoting educational opportunities for women.
As the centuries progressed, the Barefield surname continued to be represented by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scientists, and military personnel. While the exact origins of the name may be shrouded in the mists of time, its enduring presence in historical records and its association with accomplished individuals highlight its rich heritage and significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Barefield
Among Census respondents with the surname Barefield, the largest self-reported group is White at 51.6%. The next largest groups are Black (37.9%) and Two or More Races (5.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Barefield 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 Barefield surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White51.6% · 1,244
- Black or African American37.9% · 914
- Two or more races5.4% · 130
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 106
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 10
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Barefield
Barefield 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
#12,170
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,561
+303 bearers (+13.4%)
Per 100,000 0.87
Rank movement Up 413 places
2020
#12,307
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,412
-149 bearers (-5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.81
Rank movement Down 137 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,583 | 2,258 | 0.84 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,170 | 2,561 | 0.87 | +303 bearers (+13.4%) | Up 413 places |
| 2020 | #12,307 | 2,412 | 0.81 | -149 bearers (-5.8%) | Down 137 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 Barefield 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 | #12,170 | #12,307 | -1.1% |
| Count | 2,561 | 2,412 | -5.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.87 | 0.81 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Barefield bearers went from 2,561 to 2,412 (-5.8% change). The surname moved down 137 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,170 to #12,307.
FAQ
Barefield surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Barefield?
Name Census estimates that about 2,766 living Americans carry the surname Barefield. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 123,917 residents.
How common is Barefield?
Barefield ranks #12,307 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.81 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,412 people with the surname Barefield. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,766), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.81 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.81 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Barefield.
Has Barefield become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Barefield went from 2,561 recorded bearers to 2,412. That is a decrease of 149 (-5.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,170 to #12,307.
What does the Census say about the background of Barefield?
Among Census respondents with the surname Barefield, the largest self-reported group is White at 51.6%. The next largest groups are Black (37.9%) and Two or More Races (5.4%). 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 Barefield in the 2020 Census, accounting for 51.6% (1,244 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Barefield appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (51.6%), Black (37.9%), Two or More Races (5.4%). 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 Barefield (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 Barefield mean?
From the Old English "bær" meaning "bare" and "feld" meaning "open country," referring to one who lived on a barren field. 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 Barefield (0.81 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 Barefield?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.