2000
#34,038
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 631
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.23
Very Rare Last name
Barten
An occupational surname derived from the Middle Low German word "berten" meaning to clean or separate grain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 811 Americans carry the last name Barten. That puts it at #34,525 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.24 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 422,632 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Barten 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Barten with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
811
1 in 422,632
Census rank
#34,525
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
707
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 707 bearers of the surname Barten in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.24 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 34525th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Barten, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Barten
The surname Barten is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages in the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Bart," meaning "beard," suggesting that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for someone with a prominent beard.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Barten can be found in the records of the city of Hamburg, Germany, where a Johannes Barten was mentioned in a document dated 1420. This document served as evidence of the name's existence during that period.
In the 16th century, the name Barten appeared in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony. During this time, the name was occasionally spelled with variations such as "Bartten" or "Barthen," reflecting the fluidity of spelling in those days.
One notable figure bearing the surname Barten was Hans Barten (1540-1623), a German painter and engraver from Nuremberg. His works were highly regarded during the Renaissance period, and several of his engravings can still be found in museums today.
Another historical figure with the surname Barten was Jakob Barten (1675-1743), a German theologian and philosopher from Leipzig. He made significant contributions to the field of ethics and was widely respected for his scholarly works.
In the 18th century, the surname Barten gained a foothold in other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands and Denmark. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Willem Barten (1720-1789), a Dutch merchant and trader who played a pivotal role in establishing trade routes between the Netherlands and the East Indies.
As the name spread across Europe, it also found its way to other parts of the world through migration and exploration. One notable example is John Barten (1810-1882), an English explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively in Africa and made significant contributions to the study of the continent's flora and fauna.
Another prominent figure with the surname Barten was Heinrich Barten (1855-1928), a German architect known for his work in the neo-Renaissance style. He designed several notable buildings in Berlin and other German cities, leaving a lasting imprint on the architectural landscape.
Throughout its history, the surname Barten has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, merchants, and explorers. While the name's origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, it has since spread across borders and continents, carrying with it a rich tapestry of cultural and historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Barten
Among Census respondents with the surname Barten, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Barten 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 Barten surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.2% · 652
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 19
- Two or more races2.7% · 19
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 7
- Black or African American0.8% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Barten
Barten 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
#38,850
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 568
-63 bearers (-10.0%)
Per 100,000 0.19
Rank movement Down 4,812 places
2020
#34,525
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 707
+139 bearers (+24.5%)
Per 100,000 0.24
Rank movement Up 4,325 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #34,038 | 631 | 0.23 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #38,850 | 568 | 0.19 | -63 bearers (-10.0%) | Down 4,812 places |
| 2020 | #34,525 | 707 | 0.24 | +139 bearers (+24.5%) | Up 4,325 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 Barten 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 | #38,850 | #34,525 | 11.1% |
| Count | 568 | 707 | 24.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.19 | 0.24 | 24.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Barten bearers went from 568 to 707 (+24.5% change). The surname moved up 4,325 positions in the national ranking, going from #38,850 to #34,525.
FAQ
Barten surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Barten?
Name Census estimates that about 811 living Americans carry the surname Barten. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 422,632 residents.
How common is Barten?
Barten ranks #34,525 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.24 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 707 people with the surname Barten. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (811), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.24 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.24 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 Barten.
Has Barten become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Barten went from 568 recorded bearers to 707. That is an increase of 139 (+24.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #38,850 to #34,525.
What does the Census say about the background of Barten?
Among Census respondents with the surname Barten, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Barten in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (652 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Barten appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.2%), Hispanic (2.7%), Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Barten (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 Barten mean?
An occupational surname derived from the Middle Low German word "berten" meaning to clean or separate grain. 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 Barten (0.24 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 share the surname Barten?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.