Barro last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Barro

A Spanish and Italian surname derived from the word "barro" meaning mud or clay.

Barro, 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 Barro surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Barro in America

Barro is the 33036th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Barro surname appeared 693 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 Barro.

We can also compare 2010 data for Barro 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 33036 35288 -6.59%
Count 693 604 13.72%
Proportion per 100k 0.23 0.22 4.44%

The history of the last name Barro

The surname BARRO has its origins in Spain, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "barro," which means "mud" or "clay." This connection suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for those who worked with clay, such as potters or brickmakers.

The name BARRO can be traced back to various regions of Spain, including Catalonia, Aragon, and Valencia. In the 13th century, records show the name appearing in the town of Barro, located in the municipality of Pontevedra, Galicia. This town's name may have contributed to the surname's origin or provided a locational reference for those who hailed from the area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BARRO can be found in the 14th century, when a nobleman named Pedro BARRO was mentioned in a document from the Kingdom of Aragon. In the 15th century, the name appeared in the archives of the city of Barcelona, where a merchant named Juan BARRO was recorded as conducting business transactions.

During the 16th century, the name BARRO gained prominence in Spanish literature. The renowned Spanish poet and playwright, Lope de Vega (1562-1635), featured a character named BARRO in one of his plays, further solidifying the name's presence in Spanish culture.

Centuries later, in the 18th century, a notable figure named Francisco BARRO (1707-1782) made significant contributions to the field of architecture in Spain. He was responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in the Andalusian region, leaving a lasting impact on the architectural landscape.

Moving into the 19th century, the name BARRO continued to be associated with notable individuals. One such figure was Andrés BARRO (1819-1891), a Spanish military officer who played a crucial role in the Carlist Wars, a series of civil wars fought in Spain over the issue of succession to the throne.

Another prominent individual with the surname BARRO was Dolores BARRO (1864-1932), a Spanish educator and advocate for women's rights. She established several schools for girls in her native Galicia and dedicated her life to improving educational opportunities for women in Spain.

Throughout history, the surname BARRO has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, from nobility and merchants to artists and military leaders. While its origins may have been humble, rooted in the occupation of working with clay, the name has evolved to represent a rich tapestry of Spanish culture and history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Barro

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

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 Barro was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 28.72% 199
Non-Hispanic Black Only 13.42% 93
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 11.69% 81
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 43.15% 299

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 Barro has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 28.72% 40.73% -34.59%
Black 13.42% 5.96% 76.99%
Asian and Pacific Islander 11.69% 9.27% 23.09%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 43.15% 40.56% 6.19%

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Barro last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 16, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/barro-surname-popularity/.

"Barro last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/barro-surname-popularity/. Accessed 16 July, 2025

Barro last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/barro-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.