2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Barlin
An occupational surname related to a type of linen or cloth weaver.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Barlin. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Barlin 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.
Bearers in the US
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Barlin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Barlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.9%. The next largest groups are Black (12.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (12.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Barlin
The surname "BARLIN" is believed to have originated in the region of Normandy, France, during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "barlin," which referred to a type of woolen cloth or material. This suggests that the name may have originally been given to someone who worked with or traded in this fabric.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Robert Barlin, who held estates in the county of Sussex, England. This indicates that the name had already spread from its Norman origins to other parts of Europe by the late 11th century.
During the 13th century, the name appeared in various medieval records and documents across France and England. In 1275, a man named Raoul Barlin was mentioned as a citizen of Paris, while in 1298, a William Barlin was recorded as a landowner in the county of Kent, England.
Notable individuals with the surname "BARLIN" throughout history include:
1. Jean Barlin (1485-1552), a French Renaissance scholar and humanist, known for his translations of ancient Greek texts.
2. Thomas Barlin (1625-1691), an English clergyman and author, who served as the rector of St. Dunstan's Church in London.
3. Marie-Anne Barlin (1701-1781), a French actress and playwright, renowned for her performances in the theaters of Paris.
4. William Barlin (1753-1823), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.
5. Henri Barlin (1880-1964), a French painter and illustrator, known for his landscapes and depictions of rural life in Normandy.
The name "BARLIN" can also be found in various place names, such as Barlin, a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department of northern France, and Barlin's Creek, a stream located in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, likely named after an early settler with the surname.
While the origins of the name "BARLIN" can be traced back to medieval times, it has continued to be passed down through generations, with individuals bearing this surname making their mark in various fields, from academia and literature to the military and the arts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Barlin
Among Census respondents with the surname Barlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.9%. The next largest groups are Black (12.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (12.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Barlin 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 Barlin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White63.9% · 76
- Black or African American12.6% · 15
- Asian and Pacific Islander12.6% · 15
- Two or more races10.1% · 12
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Barlin
Barlin 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
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-6 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 16,478 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+16 bearers (+15.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 14,446 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | -6 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 16,478 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.5%) | Up 14,446 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 Barlin 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 | #157,234 | #142,788 | 9.2% |
| Count | 103 | 119 | 15.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 32.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Barlin bearers went from 103 to 119 (+15.5% change). The surname moved up 14,446 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #142,788.
FAQ
Barlin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Barlin?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Barlin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Barlin?
Barlin ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 119 people with the surname Barlin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Barlin.
Has Barlin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Barlin went from 103 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 16 (+15.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Barlin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Barlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.9%. The next largest groups are Black (12.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (12.6%). 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 Barlin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.9% (76 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Barlin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (63.9%), Black (12.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (12.6%). 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 Barlin (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 Barlin mean?
An occupational surname related to a type of linen or cloth weaver. 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 Barlin (0.04 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 Barlin?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.