2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Barrnett
A locative surname derived from any of several places called Barnett or Barnette.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 114 Americans carry the last name Barrnett. That puts it at #156,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,006,617 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Barrnett 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
114
1 in 3,006,617
Census rank
#156,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
99
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 99 bearers of the surname Barrnett in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Barrnett, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.8%. The next largest groups are Black (17.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Barrnett
The surname Barrnett is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bearu," meaning a grove or a wooded area, combined with the suffix "-nett," indicating a diminutive or a small place. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone residing near a small grove or a wooded hamlet.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from the year 1199, where it appears as "Bernett." This variation in spelling was common during that era, as surnames were often adapted based on local dialects and scribal interpretations.
The name Barrnett is closely associated with the county of Staffordshire, where it is believed to have originated. It appears in various historical records from this region, including the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, which mention a John Bernette.
In the 13th century, a notable bearer of this surname was Sir William Barrnett, a knight who served under King Edward I during the Scottish Wars of Independence. He fought alongside the English forces at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298 and later received land grants in recognition of his military service.
The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Barrnett. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the name, such as Berewood, Bernwood, and Barton.
Notable individuals with the surname Barrnett throughout history include:
1. Sir John Barrnett (c. 1470-1546), a prominent English politician and landowner who served as Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1520.
2. Thomas Barrnett (1595-1670), an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works, including "The Penitent Pardoned" (1647).
3. Mary Barrnett (1676-1744), an English poet and playwright known for her works, such as "The Loves of Mars and Venus" (1721) and "The Female Fop" (1726).
4. Sir Edward Barrnett (1796-1879), a British naval officer and explorer who led several expeditions to the Arctic regions in search of the Northwest Passage.
5. William Barrnett (1856-1914), an English actor and theater manager who founded the Barrnett Theatre Company and helped popularize Shakespearean productions in the late 19th century.
While the surname Barrnett has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the English counties, particularly Staffordshire, where it first emerged as a distinctive surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Barrnett
Among Census respondents with the surname Barrnett, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.8%. The next largest groups are Black (17.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Barrnett 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 Barrnett surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White75.8% · 75
- Black or African American17.2% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.0% · 3
- Two or more races3.0% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Barrnett
Barrnett 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
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 12,326 places
2020
#156,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 99
-4 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 1,229 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 12,326 places |
| 2020 | #156,005 | 99 | 0.03 | -4 bearers (-3.9%) | Up 1,229 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 Barrnett 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 | #156,005 | 0.8% |
| Count | 103 | 99 | -3.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 10.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Barrnett bearers went from 103 to 99 (-3.9% change). The surname moved up 1,229 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #156,005.
FAQ
Barrnett surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Barrnett?
Name Census estimates that about 114 living Americans carry the surname Barrnett. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,006,617 residents.
How common is Barrnett?
Barrnett ranks #156,005 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 99 people with the surname Barrnett. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (114), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Barrnett.
Has Barrnett become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Barrnett went from 103 recorded bearers to 99. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #156,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Barrnett?
Among Census respondents with the surname Barrnett, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.8%. The next largest groups are Black (17.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.0%). 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 Barrnett in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.8% (75 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Barrnett appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (75.8%), Black (17.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (3.0%). 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 Barrnett (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 Barrnett mean?
A locative surname derived from any of several places called Barnett or Barnette. 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 Barrnett (0.03 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 have the surname Barrnett?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.