UK surname
A variant spelling of the English surname Barge, derived from a placename.
In the 1881 census there were 29 people recorded with the Barch surname, ranking it #29,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2, ranked #38,825, down from #29,484 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Kingham, Bedford St Paul and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barch is 162 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 93.1%.
1881 census count
29
Ranked #29,484
Modern count
2
2016, ranked #38,825
Peak year
1861
162 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Barch surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Barch surname density by area, 1861 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 | 12 | #31,134 |
| 1861 | historical | 162 | #14,310 |
| 1881 | historical | 29 | #29,484 |
| 1891 | historical | 93 | #24,965 |
| 1901 | historical | 16 | #32,260 |
| 1911 | historical | 15 | #31,938 |
| 1997 | modern | 1 | #38,839 |
| 1998 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 2006 | modern | 1 | #38,879 |
| 2007 | modern | 2 | #38,617 |
| 2008 | modern | 2 | #38,673 |
| 2009 | modern | 2 | #38,725 |
| 2010 | modern | 4 | #38,371 |
| 2011 | modern | 1 | #39,015 |
| 2012 | modern | 2 | #38,754 |
| 2013 | modern | 2 | #38,761 |
| 2014 | modern | 2 | #38,791 |
| 2015 | modern | 2 | #38,793 |
| 2016 | modern | 2 | #38,825 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Kingham, Bedford St Paul, St Pancras, Ellesborough and Nottingham St Mary. 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 | Kingham | Oxfordshire |
| 2 | Bedford St Paul | Bedfordshire |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Ellesborough | Buckinghamshire |
| 5 | Nottingham St Mary | Nottinghamshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Barch 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 Barch, 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 Barch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Barch 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, Barch 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 Barch is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Barch, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BARCH is of German origin and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old High German word "barah," which referred to a boar or wild hog. This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname, possibly given to someone who worked with boars or wild pigs.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname BARCH can be found in historical records from the southern regions of Germany, particularly in areas around Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. In the 17th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "Barche," "Barcke," and "Barchen," reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.
One notable historical reference to the surname BARCH is found in the "Kirchenbücher," or church records, of the town of Freiburg im Breisgau, dated around 1650. These records document the birth and baptism of a child named Hans Barch, providing evidence of the surname's usage during that time period.
Among the earliest known individuals with the surname BARCH was Johann Barch, born in 1712 in the village of Oberndorf, near the city of Rottweil in Baden-Württemberg. He was a farmer and is mentioned in local land records from the mid-18th century.
Another prominent figure bearing the BARCH surname was Wilhelm Barch, a German academic and philosopher who lived from 1781 to 1858. He served as a professor at the University of Tübingen and wrote several influential works on ethics and moral philosophy.
In the 19th century, the name BARCH gained recognition through the achievements of Katharina Barch, a renowned German painter and illustrator born in 1832 in Munich. Her intricate watercolor paintings and illustrations were highly acclaimed during her lifetime, and her works can be found in various art collections across Europe.
One of the most notable individuals with the surname BARCH was Karl Barch, a German engineer and inventor who lived from 1865 to 1935. He is credited with developing several innovative designs for agricultural machinery, including a groundbreaking threshing machine that significantly improved efficiency in grain harvesting.
The surname BARCH also has connections to certain place names in Germany, such as the village of Barchfeld in Thuringia, which may have derived its name from the same linguistic root as the surname. However, the direct link between the place name and the surname remains uncertain.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barch 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. Surrey leads with 11 Barchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.98x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Surrey | 11 | 7.98x |
| Middlesex | 10 | 3.54x |
| Nottinghamshire | 6 | 15.74x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 4.71x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 1.40x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rotherhithe in Surrey leads with 10 Barchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 286.53x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Rotherhithe | 10 | 286.53x |
| Nottingham St Mary | 6 | 60.85x |
| St Marylebone London | 4 | 26.49x |
| St Pancras London | 3 | 13.18x |
| Kensington London | 2 | 12.72x |
| Birmingham | 1 | 4.21x |
| Camberwell | 1 | 5.54x |
| Islington London | 1 | 3.65x |
| Wokingham | 1 | 208.33x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Barch 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 Barch 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 Barch households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 8 |
| Doctors Boy Errand | 2 |
| Attendent | 1 |
| Boot Maker | 1 |
| Cabinet Maker | 1 |
| Cabinet Maker Wife | 1 |
| Coachman | 1 |
| Footman Dom Sert | 1 |
| General Serv | 1 |
| Greengrocers Asst | 1 |
| Ladder & Engineers Handle Maker Employing 1 Man | 1 |
| Machiness | 1 |
| Printers Machine Boy | 1 |
| Railway Porter At Home Engineer | 1 |
| Tailor | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 29 people were recorded with the Barch surname. That placed it at #29,484 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 2 in 2016. That gives Barch a modern rank of #38,825.
A variant spelling of the English surname Barge, derived from a placename.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Barch 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.