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

Barra, 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 Barra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Barra in America

Barra is the 11865th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Barra surname appeared 2,639 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Barra.

We can also compare 2010 data for Barra 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 Barra

The surname "Barra" is of Italian origin, and its earliest roots can be traced back to the medieval period in Italy. One of the earliest mentions of the name was found in records from the 12th century in the region of Piedmont, where it was likely derived from the Italian word "barra," meaning "bar" or "barrier."

During the Middle Ages, many Italian surnames were derived from occupations, and it is possible that the name Barra was initially associated with individuals who worked as bar owners or innkeepers. Alternatively, it could have been given to those who lived near a physical barrier, such as a gate or wall, in a particular town or village.

The first recorded instance of the surname Barra appears in the 13th century, in the Piedmontese town of Savigliano. A document from 1276 mentions a certain "Guglielmo Barra," who was likely a prominent citizen or landowner in the area.

As the name spread throughout Italy, variations in spelling emerged, including Barra, Barre, and Barri. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local pronunciations.

One notable figure in Italian history bearing the surname Barra was Giovanni Barra (1579-1642), a renowned painter from the city of Genoa. His works, primarily religious scenes and portraits, can be found in churches and galleries across Italy.

Another prominent individual was Francesco Barra (1624-1678), a Neapolitan architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in Naples, including the Church of San Francesco di Paola and the Palazzo dello Spagnuolo.

In the 18th century, the name Barra was also associated with a family of Italian nobles from the region of Calabria. The Barras were influential landowners and held various political positions within the Kingdom of Naples.

One of the most famous figures with the surname Barra was Paolo Barra (1854-1924), an Italian general who fought in the Italo-Turkish War and World War I. He was awarded numerous military honors for his service and leadership.

Another notable individual was Antonio Barra (1876-1953), an Italian sculptor and painter known for his monumental works and contributions to the Futurist movement in art.

While the surname Barra is most commonly associated with Italy, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, particularly in Spain and France, likely due to migration patterns and cultural exchanges over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Barra

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

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

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

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