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

Barksdale, 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 Barksdale surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Barksdale in America

Barksdale is the 3472nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Barksdale surname appeared 10,294 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Barksdale.

We can also compare 2010 data for Barksdale 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 Barksdale

The surname Barksdale is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from a place name, specifically a valley or dale where bark was harvested or processed. The name likely derives from a combination of the Old English words "barc" meaning "bark" and "dæl" meaning "valley" or "dale."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Barkesdale" in the county of Derbyshire, England. This entry suggests that the name was already established in the region during the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century.

During the medieval period, surnames derived from place names were common, particularly among those who migrated from rural areas to towns or cities. The Barksdale name may have been adopted by individuals who hailed from a specific locality associated with the processing or harvesting of bark.

In the 16th century, historical records show variations of the name, such as "Barksdale" and "Barkesdale," appearing in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire. One notable early bearer of the name was Clement Barksdale (c. 1609-1687), an English writer and polemicist known for his support of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

In the 17th century, Sir Edward Barksdale (1617-1658) was a prominent English military commander who fought for the Royalist forces during the English Civil War. He was killed in action at the Battle of Wilmslow in 1658.

Another notable figure with the Barksdale surname was Nathaniel Barksdale (1758-1834), an American planter and politician who served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

During the American Civil War, William Barksdale (1821-1863) was a Confederate general who fought in several major battles, including the Battle of Gettysburg, where he was mortally wounded.

In the 20th century, Gerald W. Barksdale (1907-1989) was an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, which was later renamed in his honor.

These examples illustrate the longstanding presence and historical significance of the Barksdale surname across various regions and time periods, often associated with notable individuals who made their mark in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Barksdale

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

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

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

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