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

Barracks, 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 Barracks surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Barracks in America

Barracks is the 146201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Barracks surname appeared 113 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Barracks.

We can also compare 2010 data for Barracks 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 Barracks

The surname "BARRACKS" is believed to have its origins in England, specifically in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. The name likely emerged during the 12th or 13th century and may have been derived from the Old English words "bær" meaning "bare" or "barren" and "ac" meaning "oak tree". This suggests that the name could have been initially given to someone who lived near a bare or barren oak tree, or perhaps in an area with sparse oak trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "BARRACKS" dates back to the 13th century, when a John de Barrac was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273. The "de" prefix indicates that the name was originally a locational surname, referring to a specific place or area. However, the exact location or place name that gave rise to the surname is not entirely clear.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "Barrak", "Barrok", and "Barrake" in records from Lancashire and Yorkshire. This variation in spelling was common during that time period and often reflected regional dialects and the preferences of scribes or record keepers.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname "BARRACKS" was Sir Thomas Barracks (c. 1480 - 1540), a English politician and Member of Parliament for Yorkshire during the reign of King Henry VIII. He was also a prominent landowner and held several important positions, including Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1522.

Another individual of note was William Barracks (1598 - 1678), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Buckworth in Huntingdonshire. He is known for his work "The English Militia Revived" published in 1660, which advocated for the establishment of a well-trained and disciplined militia force in England.

In the 18th century, the name "BARRACKS" gained some notoriety with the birth of Joseph Barracks (1743 - 1811), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. He is particularly remembered for his role in the Siege of Charleston in 1780, where he led a successful amphibious assault that resulted in the surrender of the city's American defenders.

Moving into the 19th century, one cannot overlook the contributions of Sir George Barracks (1815 - 1892), a British civil engineer and architect who was instrumental in the construction of several notable public works projects, including the Tay Bridge in Scotland and the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Finally, in the 20th century, the name "BARRACKS" was borne by the British actor and comedian Leonard Barracks (1920 - 1987), who rose to prominence through his roles in various television shows and films, particularly his portrayal of the character "Corporal Jones" in the long-running sitcom "Dad's Army".

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Barracks

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

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

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

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