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

Barfield, 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 Barfield surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Barfield in America

Barfield is the 2737th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Barfield surname appeared 13,165 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Barfield.

We can also compare 2010 data for Barfield 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 Barfield

The surname Barfield has its origins in England and can be traced back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words 'bær', meaning 'barley', and 'feld', meaning 'field', indicating that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a barley field or worked with barley cultivation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Barefeld'. This historic document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, recorded the names of landowners and their holdings across England.

During the 13th century, the name evolved into various spellings, such as 'Barfeld', 'Barfelde', and 'Barfeild', reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. These variations can be found in various historical records, including parish registers and court rolls.

Barfield is also associated with several place names in England, such as Barfield in Hampshire and Barfield in Oxfordshire. These place names likely contributed to the development of the surname, as individuals were often identified by their place of origin or residence.

Among the notable individuals who bore the Barfield surname throughout history are:

1. Richard Barfield (c. 1510-1579), an English Protestant reformer and clergyman who played a significant role in the English Reformation.
2. Owen Barfield (1898-1997), a British philosopher, author, and member of the Inklings literary group, which included J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.
3. Samuel Barfield (1688-1766), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on theological subjects.
4. Thomas Barfield (1619-1677), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Charles II.
5. John Barfield (1776-1832), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in various battles during the Napoleonic Wars.

As the centuries passed, the Barfield surname continued to be found across various regions of England, reflecting the migration and settlement patterns of those who bore the name. While its origins can be traced back to the early medieval period, the surname has endured and remained a part of English heritage and history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Barfield

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

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

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

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