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

Barnwell, 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 Barnwell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Barnwell in America

Barnwell is the 7006th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Barnwell surname appeared 4,781 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Barnwell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Barnwell 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 Barnwell

The surname Barnwell has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from a place called Barnwell, which was once a village located near Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. The name Barnwell is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bere" meaning "barn" and "well" meaning "a spring or stream."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Barnwell can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England and parts of Wales commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book refers to a place called "Barnewelle" in Cambridgeshire, which is likely the origin of the surname.

In the 12th century, a priory known as the Priory of St. Giles and St. Andrew was established in Barnwell, near Cambridge. This priory played a significant role in the history of the area, and it is possible that some individuals may have adopted the surname Barnwell from their association with the priory or the surrounding village.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Barnwell was John Barnwell, who was born around 1320 in Cambridgeshire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire in 1347.

Another notable figure with the surname Barnwell was Robert Barnwell (c. 1395-1470), who was an English clergyman and served as the Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1443 until his death in 1470.

In the 16th century, a family with the surname Barnwell owned a manor house in Tolethorpe, Rutland. The manor house, known as Barnwell Manor, was built in the late 16th century and still stands today.

John Barnwell (1642-1709) was an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire in the late 17th century. He was also a prominent landowner and held the position of High Sheriff of Hertfordshire.

In the 18th century, Thomas Barnwell (1732-1805) was a British architect who designed several notable buildings, including the St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, and the Shire Hall in Monmouth, Wales.

While the surname Barnwell has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, due to immigration and population movements over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Barnwell

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

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

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

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