NameCensus.

UK surname

Barcroft

A habitational surname referring to someone from a place with barren or treeless land.

In the 1881 census there were 281 people recorded with the Barcroft surname, ranking it #10,175 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 287, ranked #15,212, down from #10,175 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bury and Middleton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hamilton Centre and Low Parks, Stoke-on-Trent and Bury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barcroft is 358 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.1%.

1881 census count

281

Ranked #10,175

Modern count

287

2016, ranked #15,212

Peak year

1911

358 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barcroft had 281 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,175 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 287 in 2016, ranked #15,212.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 358 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Barcroft surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barcroft surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barcroft 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 180 #11,300
1861 historical 282 #8,895
1881 historical 281 #10,175
1891 historical 357 #9,678
1901 historical 320 #11,142
1911 historical 358 #10,110
1997 modern 203 #17,457
1998 modern 262 #15,203
1999 modern 266 #15,150
2000 modern 261 #15,314
2001 modern 261 #15,066
2002 modern 255 #15,599
2003 modern 252 #15,530
2004 modern 261 #15,274
2005 modern 249 #15,679
2006 modern 251 #15,696
2007 modern 254 #15,736
2008 modern 254 #15,903
2009 modern 265 #15,756
2010 modern 281 #15,441
2011 modern 284 #15,174
2012 modern 274 #15,498
2013 modern 293 #14,998
2014 modern 304 #14,703
2015 modern 302 #14,687
2016 modern 287 #15,212

Geography

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Where Barcrofts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bury, Middleton, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hamilton Centre and Low Parks, Stoke-on-Trent, Bury, Rossendale and Bolton. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Bury Lancashire
3 Middleton Lancashire
4 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hamilton Centre and Low Parks South Lanarkshire
2 Stoke-on-Trent 010 Stoke-on-Trent
3 Bury 003 Bury
4 Rossendale 004 Rossendale
5 Bolton 004 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barcroft

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barcroft

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Barcroft surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Barcroft 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 predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Barcroft 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

Barcroft is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Barcroft 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 Barcroft is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Barcroft

The surname Barcroft has its origins in England, specifically in the county of Yorkshire. It is believed to have emerged in the medieval period, possibly as early as the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "bere," meaning barley, and "croft," which refers to a small enclosed field or farm.

The earliest known reference to the Barcroft name can be found in the Yorkshire Inquisitions of the 14th century, where it appears as "de Barkecroft." This spelling variation suggests that the name was originally associated with a particular location or estate known as Barcroft, likely a farm or settlement where barley was grown.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Barcroft surname was John de Barkecroft, who was mentioned in the Yorkshire Assize Rolls of 1379. In the 15th century, the name appears in various forms, such as "Barkecrofte" and "Barcrofte," reflecting the evolving spelling conventions of the time.

During the 16th century, the Barcroft family established themselves as landowners and prominent figures in Yorkshire. Notable members include Robert Barcroft (c. 1530-1590), who served as a Justice of the Peace and owned substantial estates in the region.

In the 17th century, the Barcroft surname gained wider recognition with the rise of Sir Robert Barcroft (1648-1726), a successful merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1704. His prominence and wealth contributed to the family's status and influence.

Other noteworthy individuals with the Barcroft surname include Henry Barcroft (1678-1765), a clergyman and author who published works on theology and philosophy, and Joseph Barcroft (1834-1898), a prominent businessman and philanthropist in Manchester.

The name Barcroft has also been linked to various place names in Yorkshire, such as Barcroft Hall, a historic manor house dating back to the 16th century, and Barcroft Village, a small settlement near Doncaster.

Throughout its history, the Barcroft surname has maintained its connection to its English roots, particularly in Yorkshire, where it has been associated with landed gentry, clergy, and influential members of society over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barcroft families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barcroft 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. Lancashire leads with 212 Barcrofts recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.47x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 212 6.47x
Staffordshire 37 3.97x
Cheshire 10 1.64x
Monmouthshire 8 4.01x
Lincolnshire 5 1.13x
Yorkshire 4 0.15x
Middlesex 2 0.07x
Surrey 2 0.15x
Derbyshire 1 0.23x
Devon 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 3.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newchurch in Lancashire leads with 51 Barcrofts recorded in 1881 and an index of 190.30x.

Place Total Index
Newchurch 51 190.30x
Walmersley Cum 24 458.89x
Stoke Upon Trent 23 23.28x
Bury 19 50.78x
Tottington Lower End 19 122.03x
Spotland 17 46.68x
Burslem 11 41.21x
Newton In Makerfield 8 79.76x
Radcliffe 8 50.67x
St Woollos 8 35.92x
Blackburn 7 8.03x
Middleton In Oldham 7 71.28x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 6 171.43x
Crumpsall 6 77.72x
Altrincham 5 46.95x
Dukinfield 5 17.76x
Great Grimsby 5 17.85x
Great Little Marsden 5 33.31x
Pilkington 5 40.19x
Salford 5 5.19x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 5.59x
Higher Booths 4 67.80x
Newton 4 15.84x
Tottington Higher End 4 107.24x
Skipton 3 34.84x
Wolverhampton 3 4.19x
Colne 2 20.49x
Fulham London 2 5.00x
Mitcham 2 23.53x
Witton 2 48.54x
Birtle Cum Bamford 1 46.73x
Bramham Cum Oglethorpe 1 91.74x
Castleton 1 3.06x
Lower Booths 1 17.04x
Oldham 1 0.95x
Royal Navy 1 3.56x
Sandiacre 1 64.94x
Sharples 1 28.17x
Stoke Damerel 1 2.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Elizabeth 16
Alice 12
Sarah 12
Ann 11
Martha 7
Jane 5
Margaret 4
Clara 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Louisa 3
Betsy 2
Eliza 2
Harriett 2
Lydia 2
Maria 2
Peggy 2
Ruth 2
Ada 1
Annie 1
Betty 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Edna 1
Eliz. 1
Elizebth 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Leah 1
Lilly 1
Lucy 1
Margt. 1
Minnie 1
Rebecca 1
Roseannah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 23
John 21
William 13
Henry 12
James 11
George 10
Jonathan 4
Richard 4
Barnard 3
Joseph 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Adrian 1
Albert 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Gerge 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jno. 1
Mary 1
Mathew 1
Matthew 1
Norman 1
Penrose 1
Renny 1
Richd. 1
Samuel 1
Thos.Hy. 1

FAQ

Barcroft surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barcroft surname in 1881?

In 1881, 281 people were recorded with the Barcroft surname. That placed it at #10,175 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barcroft surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 287 in 2016. That gives Barcroft a modern rank of #15,212.

What does the Barcroft surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to someone from a place with barren or treeless land.

What does the Barcroft map show?

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