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

Baron, 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 Baron surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Baron in America

Baron is the 2234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Baron surname appeared 16,308 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Baron.

We can also compare 2010 data for Baron 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 Baron

The surname Baron originated in France during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "baron," which was a loanword from the medieval Latin term "baro," meaning a man or husband. The word "baro" itself originated from the medieval Spanish word "varon," meaning a man or warrior.

In medieval France, the title "baron" referred to a feudal lord or nobleman who held land and power from a higher authority, typically a count or duke. The surname Baron likely emerged as a way to identify individuals associated with a particular baron or noble family.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Baron can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and resources commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Baron, indicating that the name was already in use in parts of England by the late 11th century.

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the surname Baron became more widespread throughout France and England. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Étienne Baron (c. 1135-1189), a French nobleman and crusader who participated in the Third Crusade, and William Baron (c. 1225-1292), an English landowner and member of the gentry in Hertfordshire.

In the 14th century, the surname Baron continued to gain prominence, particularly in England. One notable figure was Sir Ralph Baron (c. 1320-1390), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament who served as Sheriff of Hertfordshire and Essex.

The 15th century saw the emergence of several distinguished individuals with the surname Baron, including John Baron (c. 1438-1510), a prominent English merchant and alderman of London, and Richard Baron (c. 1450-1524), an English churchman who served as Bishop of London from 1504 to 1521.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Baron remained well-established in various parts of Europe, particularly in France, England, and the Netherlands. Notable individuals from this period include Bonaventure Baron (c. 1610-1696), a French mathematician and physicist, and Samuel Baron (c. 1625-1697), an English minister and author known for his works on biblical criticism and theology.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Baron

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

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

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

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