UK surname
Of Arabic origin, possibly derived from "barbary" meaning foreign or uncivilized.
In the 1881 census there were 77 people recorded with the Barbar surname, ranking it #22,617 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 30, ranked #35,997, down from #22,617 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Soham and Barton St David. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barbar is 183 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 61.0%.
1881 census count
77
Ranked #22,617
Modern count
30
2016, ranked #35,997
Peak year
1891
183 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Barbar surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Barbar surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 91 | #18,187 |
| 1861 | historical | 134 | #16,754 |
| 1881 | historical | 77 | #22,617 |
| 1891 | historical | 183 | #15,918 |
| 1901 | historical | 71 | #26,277 |
| 1911 | historical | 19 | #31,416 |
| 1997 | modern | 42 | #33,459 |
| 1998 | modern | 41 | #33,747 |
| 1999 | modern | 41 | #33,866 |
| 2000 | modern | 41 | #33,889 |
| 2001 | modern | 30 | #34,753 |
| 2002 | modern | 32 | #34,790 |
| 2003 | modern | 33 | #34,773 |
| 2004 | modern | 28 | #35,354 |
| 2005 | modern | 21 | #36,083 |
| 2006 | modern | 28 | #35,665 |
| 2007 | modern | 25 | #36,006 |
| 2008 | modern | 24 | #36,148 |
| 2009 | modern | 28 | #35,988 |
| 2010 | modern | 38 | #35,514 |
| 2011 | modern | 34 | #35,705 |
| 2012 | modern | 34 | #35,711 |
| 2013 | modern | 30 | #35,990 |
| 2014 | modern | 31 | #35,953 |
| 2015 | modern | 31 | #35,939 |
| 2016 | modern | 30 | #35,997 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Soham, Barton St David, Edinburgh and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| 2 | Soham | Cambridgeshire |
| 3 | Barton St David | Somerset |
| 4 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 5 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Barbar surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Barbar, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Barbar surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Barbar household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Barbar is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Barbar is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Barbar, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BARBAR is believed to have originated in Germany during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "bar," meaning "bare" or "unblemished." This name likely referred to someone who was considered pure or unblemished in some way, perhaps in reference to their character or physical appearance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BARBAR name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 12th century. Here, a man named Gunther Barbar is mentioned in a land transaction record from the year 1178.
The BARBAR name also appears in several other historical documents from various regions of Germany, such as the Chronica Regia Coloniensis, a chronicle of the city of Cologne, which includes a reference to a knight named Heinrich Barbar in the year 1271.
In the 14th century, a man named Konrad Barbar was a prominent citizen of the city of Nuremberg, serving as a member of the city council and participating in various legal proceedings documented in the city's records.
During the Renaissance period, a notable figure bearing the BARBAR surname was Johannes Barbar, a German humanist scholar and theologian born in 1495 in the city of Worms. He was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time, contributing to the fields of philosophy and theology.
Another individual of significance was Magdalena Barbar, born in 1602 in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. She was a renowned painter and one of the few female artists of her time to achieve recognition, with her works adorning churches and public buildings throughout the region.
While the BARBAR name has its roots in Germany, over the centuries it has spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, with variations in spelling and pronunciation arising in different regions and cultures.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barbar surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Staffordshire leads with 13 Barbars recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.26x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Staffordshire | 13 | 5.26x |
| Yorkshire | 11 | 1.52x |
| Lanarkshire | 10 | 4.23x |
| Midlothian | 7 | 7.14x |
| Lancashire | 6 | 0.69x |
| Middlesex | 6 | 0.82x |
| Northamptonshire | 6 | 8.72x |
| Berwickshire | 5 | 56.43x |
| Banffshire | 3 | 19.78x |
| Ayrshire | 2 | 3.65x |
| Dumfriesshire | 1 | 6.19x |
| Durham | 1 | 0.46x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 1.98x |
| Morayshire | 1 | 8.80x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.89x |
| Stirlingshire | 1 | 3.71x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 9 Barbars recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.38x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Govan | 9 | 15.38x |
| Burton Upon Trent | 7 | 121.11x |
| Marston St Lawrence | 6 | 6000.00x |
| Rotherham | 6 | 146.70x |
| Wolstanton | 6 | 80.00x |
| Cockburnspath | 5 | 1785.71x |
| St Giles In Fields London | 5 | 139.28x |
| Cramond | 4 | 540.54x |
| Horbury | 4 | 314.96x |
| Manchester | 4 | 10.25x |
| Gamrie | 3 | 177.51x |
| Dreghorn | 2 | 202.02x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 2 | 5.07x |
| Barnsley | 1 | 13.37x |
| Costessey | 1 | 416.67x |
| Edinburgh New | 1 | 131.58x |
| Elgin | 1 | 45.25x |
| Falkirk | 1 | 15.82x |
| Glasgow | 1 | 2.38x |
| Great Lumley | 1 | 270.27x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.41x |
| Lochmaben | 1 | 140.85x |
| Oldham | 1 | 3.57x |
| Sacombe | 1 | 1428.57x |
| Toxteth Park | 1 | 3.40x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Barbar surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Barbar surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Barbar households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 16 |
| Coal Miner | 2 |
| Coal Seller | 2 |
| Ag Labr | 1 |
| Agricultural Labourer | 1 |
| Baker Employing 1 Man & 1 Boy | 1 |
| Cotton Weaver | 1 |
| Engineer Teuter | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| Lodging House Manager | 1 |
| Platelayer | 1 |
| Stonemason | 1 |
| Unemployed | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 77 people were recorded with the Barbar surname. That placed it at #22,617 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 30 in 2016. That gives Barbar a modern rank of #35,997.
Of Arabic origin, possibly derived from "barbary" meaning foreign or uncivilized.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Barbar bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.