NameCensus.

UK surname

Barbour

An occupational surname referring to a barber or one who cuts hair and trims beards.

In the 1881 census there were 1,644 people recorded with the Barbour surname, ranking it #2,611 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,713, ranked #2,477, up from #2,611 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kintyre Trail, Largs Central and Cumbrae and Upper Nithsdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barbour is 2,718 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.0%.

1881 census count

1,644

Ranked #2,611

Modern count

2,713

2016, ranked #2,477

Peak year

2014

2,718 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barbour had 1,644 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,611 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,713 in 2016, ranked #2,477.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,191 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Barbour surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barbour surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barbour 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 933 #2,966
1861 historical 1,038 #2,700
1881 historical 1,644 #2,611
1891 historical 1,914 #2,407
1901 historical 2,191 #2,464
1911 historical 462 #8,329
1997 modern 2,437 #2,580
1998 modern 2,569 #2,542
1999 modern 2,565 #2,564
2000 modern 2,532 #2,586
2001 modern 2,466 #2,594
2002 modern 2,505 #2,610
2003 modern 2,484 #2,581
2004 modern 2,476 #2,589
2005 modern 2,452 #2,579
2006 modern 2,462 #2,577
2007 modern 2,483 #2,582
2008 modern 2,535 #2,553
2009 modern 2,604 #2,555
2010 modern 2,618 #2,596
2011 modern 2,602 #2,578
2012 modern 2,638 #2,504
2013 modern 2,675 #2,513
2014 modern 2,718 #2,494
2015 modern 2,709 #2,484
2016 modern 2,713 #2,477

Geography

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Where Barbours are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Greenock, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kintyre Trail, Largs Central and Cumbrae, Upper Nithsdale, Whitfield and Doon Valley South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kintyre Trail Argyll and Bute
2 Largs Central and Cumbrae North Ayrshire
3 Upper Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway
4 Whitfield Dundee City
5 Doon Valley South East Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barbour

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barbour

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Barbour surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Barbour household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Barbour is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Barbour is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Barbour falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Barbour is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Barbour

The surname Barbour originated in France and derives from the Old French word "barbour", meaning "barber". It is an occupational surname, indicating that the original bearer of the name was a barber by profession.

Barbour is believed to have first appeared in records in the 12th century. One of the earliest recorded instances is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Barbator" in reference to a barber in the village of Winchelsea, Sussex.

In the 13th century, the surname was found in various forms such as Barbour, Barbor, and Barbator in records across England. It is likely that the name spread throughout the country as barbers traveled and settled in different regions.

One notable early bearer of the name was William Barbour, a 14th-century Scottish poet who wrote the epic narrative poem "The Brus" about the life of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots. He was born around 1320 in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Another significant figure was John Barbour, a 15th-century Scottish prelate and diplomat who served as the Bishop of Dunkeld and helped negotiate the release of King James I of Scotland from English captivity in 1424.

In the 16th century, the name Barbour was found in various place names across England, such as Barbour Town in Northumberland and Barbour Green in Suffolk, suggesting that members of the family had established themselves in these areas.

During the 17th century, the Barbour family was prominent in Virginia, USA. James Barbour, born in 1775, was a prominent lawyer, politician, and Governor of Virginia from 1812 to 1814.

In the 19th century, Joseph Barbour (1795-1856) was a Scottish lawyer and legal writer who published several works on Scottish law and contributed to the development of the legal system in Scotland.

Throughout history, the Barbour surname has been associated with various occupations, including barbers, lawyers, writers, and politicians, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who have borne this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barbour families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barbour 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. Lanarkshire leads with 373 Barbours recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.18x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 373 7.18x
Ayrshire 336 27.96x
Renfrewshire 260 20.89x
Kirkcudbrightshire 90 38.72x
Midlothian 73 3.39x
Dumfriesshire 67 18.89x
Lancashire 63 0.33x
Yorkshire 46 0.29x
Dunbartonshire 27 6.26x
Middlesex 27 0.17x
Perthshire 26 3.61x
Banffshire 25 7.51x
Cumberland 24 1.74x
Cheshire 21 0.59x
Angus 18 1.21x
Northumberland 18 0.75x
Argyllshire 17 3.80x
Morayshire 16 6.41x
Buteshire 13 13.36x
Stirlingshire 13 2.20x
Clackmannanshire 10 7.54x
Surrey 8 0.10x
Essex 7 0.22x
Northamptonshire 7 0.46x
Inverness-shire 5 1.04x
Lincolnshire 5 0.19x
Warwickshire 5 0.12x
West Lothian 5 2.07x
Nairnshire 4 8.16x
Shropshire 4 0.29x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.20x
Durham 3 0.06x
Hertfordshire 3 0.27x
Norfolk 3 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.14x
Selkirkshire 3 2.07x
East Lothian 2 0.94x
Fife 2 0.21x
Staffordshire 2 0.04x
Wigtownshire 2 0.94x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.10x
Caithness 1 0.45x
Derbyshire 1 0.04x
Hampshire 1 0.03x
Leicestershire 1 0.06x
Peeblesshire 1 1.32x
Royal Navy 1 0.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 138 Barbours recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.75x.

Place Total Index
Govan 138 10.75x
Barony 114 8.67x
Glasgow 77 8.35x
Abbey 56 29.50x
West Greenock 49 21.94x
East Greenock 47 40.00x
Ardrossan 36 86.54x
Stewarton 35 147.18x
Kilmarnock 31 21.68x
Lochwinnoch 27 145.63x
Paisley High Church 25 25.23x
Dalry 24 42.45x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 24 2.77x
West Kilbride 24 209.61x
Kirkbean 23 514.54x
Largs 23 81.24x
Riccarton Hurlford 22 104.36x
Bradford 21 5.45x
Maryhill 19 18.69x
Tarbolton 19 96.06x
Kilbarchan 18 47.62x
Auckinleck 17 45.70x
Lochmaben 17 109.40x
Paisley Middle Church 17 23.46x
Alvah 15 200.00x
Kirkdale 15 4.68x
Sorn 15 63.53x
Westgate 15 10.14x
South Leith 14 5.78x
Dalry 13 239.41x
Kelton 12 62.86x
Kirkmichael 12 255.86x
New Kilpatrick 12 29.23x
Horton In Bradford 11 4.43x
Kilbirnie 11 38.12x
Leeds 11 1.22x
Beith 10 27.89x
Logie 10 38.68x
Applegarth 9 167.29x
Barrow In Furness 9 3.47x
Blairgowrie 9 31.58x
Broxton 9 314.69x
Dundonald 9 20.31x
Irvine 9 26.96x
Kells 9 168.86x
Alloa 8 12.44x
Duddingston 8 18.53x
Liverpool 8 0.69x
Loudoun 8 27.68x
Old Monkland 8 3.88x
Southend 8 152.38x
Troqueer 8 26.24x
Workington 8 10.11x
Drainie 7 31.67x
Dumbarton 7 11.66x
Holywood 7 118.24x
Houston Killallan 7 58.14x
Islington London 7 0.45x
Liff Benvie 7 3.10x
Monifieth 7 13.32x
Runcorn 7 8.57x
Shotts 7 11.26x
Wellingborough 7 9.22x
Bromley London 6 1.70x
Bute North 6 91.19x
Campbeltown 6 11.13x
Campsie 6 18.46x
Croydon 6 1.38x
Eastwood 6 7.83x
Edinburgh St Georges 6 13.44x
Galston 6 18.26x
Inveresk 6 10.30x
Kilmaurs 6 29.34x
Kirkmahoe 6 87.21x
West Ham 6 0.86x
Boness 5 15.00x
Cathcart 5 7.43x
Crossmichael 5 68.03x
Dalmellington 5 14.15x
Kirkgunzeon 5 138.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 13
Mary 13
Agnes 9
Elizabeth 9
Jane 8
Ellen 6
Sarah 6
Janet 5
Catherine 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Emma 3
Alice 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Margt. 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Alison 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Charlotte 1
Christian 1
Clara 1
Eleanor 1
Eleanour 1
Elia 1
Ellonor 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Hilda 1
Isabela 1
Janett 1
Jeannette 1
Lily 1
Malinda 1
Marion 1
Priscilla 1
Rebecka 1
Susannah 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 22
William 17
James 16
Robert 14
Thomas 9
George 6
Joseph 5
Wm. 5
Frederick 3
Alexander 2
David 2
Henry 2
Hugh 2
Peter 2
Samuel 2
Alex. 1
Allan 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Greenwood 1
Harry 1
Humphrey 1
Jos.M.H. 1
Malcolm 1
Matthew 1
Maurice 1
Michael 1
Milow 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Richard 1
Saml. 1
W.S. 1
Worley 1

FAQ

Barbour surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barbour surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,644 people were recorded with the Barbour surname. That placed it at #2,611 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barbour surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,713 in 2016. That gives Barbour a modern rank of #2,477.

What does the Barbour surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a barber or one who cuts hair and trims beards.

What does the Barbour map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Barbour 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.