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

Barkes, 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 Barkes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Barkes in America

Barkes is the 57372nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Barkes surname appeared 355 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Barkes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Barkes 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 Barkes

The surname BARKES is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "baec," which means "ridge" or "hill." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a prominent ridge or hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BARKES can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive record of landowners and their holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Barcus" in this ancient document, likely referring to a person residing near a specific geographical feature.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name evolved into various spellings, such as "Barkes," "Barkis," and "Barkus," reflecting the dialectal variations and inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time. These variations were often influenced by regional accents and scribal interpretations.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname BARKES include:

1. William Barkes (1547-1609), an English clergyman and author known for his religious works.
2. John Barkes (1675-1743), a prominent English merchant and landowner in the county of Lincolnshire.
3. Elizabeth Barkes (1719-1788), a pioneering educator who established one of the earliest schools for girls in London.
4. Thomas Barkes (1793-1857), a British explorer who led expeditions to the Arctic regions and made significant contributions to the mapping of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
5. Margaret Barkes (1862-1941), a renowned British suffragette and activist who campaigned tirelessly for women's right to vote.

The name BARKES has also been associated with various place names throughout England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Lincolnshire, where the surname was prevalent. Some examples include Barkes Farm in Yorkshire and Barkes Village in Derbyshire, both of which likely derived their names from individuals bearing the BARKES surname who resided or owned land in those areas.

While the surname BARKES may not be as widespread as some other English surnames, it has a rich historical legacy that stretches back to the Middle Ages and is deeply rooted in the geographical and cultural landscape of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Barkes

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

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

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

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