NameCensus.

UK surname

Barbara

Derived from the Greek word meaning "strange" or "foreign," originally used to refer to a non-Greek person.

In the 1881 census there were 8 people recorded with the Barbara surname, ranking it #32,581 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 228, ranked #17,936, up from #32,581 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Staffordshire, Reigate and Banstead and West Neilston and Uplawmoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barbara is 228 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2750.0%.

1881 census count

8

Ranked #32,581

Modern count

228

2016, ranked #17,936

Peak year

2016

228 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barbara had 8 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,581 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 228 in 2016, ranked #17,936.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 45 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Barbara surname distribution map

The map shows where the Barbara surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Barbara surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barbara over time

The 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 13 #30,970
1861 historical 45 #28,296
1881 historical 8 #32,581
1891 historical 32 #31,754
1901 historical 15 #32,383
1911 historical 40 #28,913
1997 modern 148 #21,295
1998 modern 141 #22,517
1999 modern 146 #22,202
2000 modern 128 #24,015
2001 modern 120 #24,615
2002 modern 122 #24,874
2003 modern 133 #23,359
2004 modern 143 #22,471
2005 modern 141 #22,688
2006 modern 158 #21,229
2007 modern 160 #21,296
2008 modern 171 #20,595
2009 modern 182 #20,201
2010 modern 195 #19,762
2011 modern 196 #19,538
2012 modern 201 #19,147
2013 modern 207 #19,093
2014 modern 212 #18,945
2015 modern 218 #18,478
2016 modern 228 #17,936

Geography

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Where Barbaras are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Staffordshire, Reigate and Banstead, West Neilston and Uplawmoor, Bromley and Sutton. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Staffordshire 008 East Staffordshire
2 Reigate and Banstead 006 Reigate and Banstead
3 West Neilston and Uplawmoor East Renfrewshire
4 Bromley 021 Bromley
5 Sutton 024 Sutton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barbara

These lists show first names that appear often with the Barbara surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barbara

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Barbara, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Barbara surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Barbara household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Barbara is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Barbara is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Barbara falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Barbara is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Barbara, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Barbara

The surname Barbara is of Italian origin, derived from the personal name Barbara, which is derived from the Greek word "barbaros" meaning "foreign" or "strange". The name Barbara was originally used to refer to non-Greeks or foreigners. It gained popularity as a personal name during the Middle Ages, particularly after the veneration of St. Barbara, a 3rd-century martyr.

The earliest recorded use of Barbara as a surname dates back to the 13th century in Italy. It is believed to have initially been a descriptive surname, referring to someone who was considered foreign or strange. Over time, it became an inherited surname passed down through families.

In Italy, the surname Barbara is most commonly found in the regions of Campania, Lazio, and Sicily. It is also present in other parts of southern Italy, as well as in some areas of central and northern Italy. The name may have been adopted by families with ancestors who migrated from one region to another within Italy.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Barbara was Giovanni Barbara, a Sicilian nobleman who lived in the 14th century. Another notable figure was Antonio Barbara, a 16th-century Venetian diplomat and writer.

In the 17th century, the surname Barbara was found in various records and documents, including the Catasto Onciario, a census and land registry conducted in the Kingdom of Sicily in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

During the 18th century, several individuals with the surname Barbara gained prominence in various fields. One such person was Francesco Barbara, an Italian architect and painter active in the late 18th century. Another was Giuseppe Barbara, a composer and music teacher from Naples, who lived from 1768 to 1835.

In the 19th century, the surname Barbara was carried by individuals such as Luigi Barbara, an Italian politician and lawyer from Sicily, who lived from 1821 to 1896. Another notable figure was Vincenzo Barbara, a Sicilian painter and sculptor active in the late 19th century.

The surname Barbara has also been found in other parts of Europe and the Americas, likely due to migration and intermarriage with Italian families over the centuries. However, its origins and earliest recorded uses trace back to Italy, particularly the southern regions, where it has been present for several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barbara families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barbara surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 3 Barbaras recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.80x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 3 2.80x
Royal Navy 3 234.38x
Lancashire 2 1.57x
Surrey 2 3.83x
Sussex 1 5.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Royal Navy in Royal Navy leads with 3 Barbaras recorded in 1881 and an index of 275.23x.

Place Total Index
Royal Navy 3 275.23x
Bromley London 2 84.75x
Broughton In Salford 2 172.41x
Battersea 1 25.32x
Hove 1 126.58x
Sutton 1 263.16x
Willesden 1 99.01x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Barbara surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Amelia 1
Clarence 1
Elizabeth 1
Giovanni 1
Isabella 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Barbara surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Joseph 2
Edward 1
Jose 1

Top occupations

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 Barbara households.

FAQ

Barbara surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barbara surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8 people were recorded with the Barbara surname. That placed it at #32,581 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barbara surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 228 in 2016. That gives Barbara a modern rank of #17,936.

What does the Barbara surname mean?

Derived from the Greek word meaning "strange" or "foreign," originally used to refer to a non-Greek person.

What does the Barbara map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Barbara bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.