NameCensus.

UK surname

Barden

An English occupational surname referring to a messenger or courier, derived from the Middle English "barde".

In the 1881 census there were 1,143 people recorded with the Barden surname, ranking it #3,504 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,016, ranked #3,196, up from #3,504 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Tunbridge, Bidborough and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tonbridge and Malling, Rother and Mid Sussex.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barden is 2,244 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.4%.

1881 census count

1,143

Ranked #3,504

Modern count

2,016

2016, ranked #3,196

Peak year

1999

2,244 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barden had 1,143 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,504 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,016 in 2016, ranked #3,196.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,746 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Barden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barden surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Barden 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 683 #3,804
1861 historical 880 #3,153
1881 historical 1,143 #3,504
1891 historical 1,564 #2,837
1901 historical 1,668 #3,090
1911 historical 1,746 #2,810
1997 modern 2,138 #2,889
1998 modern 2,212 #2,907
1999 modern 2,244 #2,893
2000 modern 2,182 #2,944
2001 modern 2,116 #2,964
2002 modern 2,172 #2,954
2003 modern 2,107 #2,971
2004 modern 2,081 #3,015
2005 modern 2,033 #3,036
2006 modern 2,016 #3,072
2007 modern 2,008 #3,120
2008 modern 1,996 #3,151
2009 modern 2,059 #3,137
2010 modern 2,119 #3,127
2011 modern 2,079 #3,138
2012 modern 2,043 #3,135
2013 modern 2,065 #3,160
2014 modern 2,065 #3,175
2015 modern 2,038 #3,180
2016 modern 2,016 #3,196

Geography

Back to top

Where Bardens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes, Brickhill, Bow and Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tonbridge and Malling, Rother and Mid Sussex. 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 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
2 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 Brickhill, Bow Buckinghamshire
5 Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tonbridge and Malling 009 Tonbridge and Malling
2 Rother 001 Rother
3 Tonbridge and Malling 011 Tonbridge and Malling
4 Tonbridge and Malling 012 Tonbridge and Malling
5 Mid Sussex 003 Mid Sussex

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Barden

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Barden

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Barden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Barden 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Barden is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Barden is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Barden falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Barden 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 Barden, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Barden

The surname Barden is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the Old English word "burh" meaning a fortified town or manor, and the suffix "denu" meaning a valley or den. This suggests that the name originated from a place named "Barden" or a similar spelling, likely referring to a valley or settlement near a fortified town or manor.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror, there are several entries mentioning places with similar names, such as "Burdene" and "Bordene." These entries provide evidence of the name's early existence and potential connection to specific locations in medieval England.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Barden was John Barden, who lived in the 14th century and is mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, England. Another early record is of William Barden, who was born around 1420 in Hertfordshire, England.

In the 16th century, the Barden family held land and property in the village of Burneston, near Bedale in North Yorkshire. Sir Robert Barden (1532-1599), a member of this family, was a prominent figure who served as Lord Mayor of York in 1589.

During the 17th century, the surname Barden spread to other parts of England, including Lancashire and Cheshire. Notable individuals from this period include John Barden (1636-1719), an English mathematician and clergyman, and Thomas Barden (1669-1748), a landowner and Member of Parliament for Taunton in Somerset.

In the 18th century, the Barden family maintained a strong presence in Yorkshire, with members such as William Barden (1718-1798), a landowner and Justice of the Peace in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and his son, John Barden (1754-1825), who served as High Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1800.

The 19th century saw the surname Barden spread further across England and into other parts of the world. One notable figure was Charles Barden (1814-1887), an English-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada.

Throughout its history, the surname Barden has been associated with various place names and locations, including Barden in Yorkshire, Burneston in North Yorkshire, and Barden Park, a former estate in the Yorkshire Dales. The name has also been spelled in various ways over time, such as Bardon, Bardan, and Bardene.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Barden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barden 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. Kent leads with 419 Bardens recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.99x.

County Total Index
Kent 419 10.99x
Sussex 213 11.31x
Yorkshire 174 1.57x
Middlesex 70 0.63x
Buckinghamshire 64 9.48x
Surrey 52 0.96x
Warwickshire 26 0.92x
Northamptonshire 25 2.38x
Lancashire 22 0.17x
Essex 9 0.41x
Devon 8 0.34x
Oxfordshire 8 1.16x
Shropshire 8 0.83x
Wiltshire 8 0.81x
Hampshire 7 0.31x
Durham 5 0.15x
Lanarkshire 5 0.14x
Cheshire 4 0.16x
Monmouthshire 3 0.37x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.20x
Bedfordshire 2 0.35x
Renfrewshire 2 0.23x
Berkshire 1 0.12x
Channel Islands 1 0.30x
Dorset 1 0.14x
Glamorgan 1 0.05x
Isle of Man 1 0.48x
Royal Navy 1 0.75x
Rutland 1 1.22x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shelley in Yorkshire leads with 64 Bardens recorded in 1881 and an index of 989.18x.

Place Total Index
Shelley 64 989.18x
Tonbridge 56 40.74x
Bow Brickhill 50 2840.91x
Maidstone 25 22.02x
Ashburnham 18 608.11x
Thurlstone 18 164.84x
Hove 17 20.57x
Rotherfield 16 96.50x
Wittersham 15 441.18x
Cranbrook 14 86.74x
Whitstable 14 74.91x
Kensington London 13 2.09x
Rochester St Margaret 13 32.35x
Shepley 13 213.11x
Brenchley 12 87.98x
Rainham 12 114.61x
Rye 12 67.04x
Seal 12 195.12x
Yalding 12 124.74x
Barugh 11 117.65x
Burwash 11 125.86x
Goudhurst 11 104.27x
Withyam 11 136.48x
Aylesford 10 94.70x
Hackney London 10 1.60x
Heathfield 10 131.06x
Hoo 10 198.02x
Ashford 9 24.25x
Brenenden 9 183.67x
Chatham 9 8.58x
Croydon 9 2.98x
Deptford St Paul 9 3.06x
Fenny Stratford 9 140.85x
Hepworth 9 201.34x
Lewisham 9 4.43x
Speldhurst 9 46.39x
Bermondsey 8 2.41x
Fairlight 8 434.78x
Hastings St Mary 8 17.07x
Leigh 8 160.64x
Ludgershall 8 423.28x
Maresfield 8 100.76x
Mayfield 8 71.81x
Northfleet 8 23.83x
Rotherhithe 8 5.80x
Sidmouth 8 60.11x
St Marylebone London 8 1.34x
Winchelsea St Thomas 8 341.88x
Birmingham 7 0.75x
Braunston 7 170.73x
Brighton 7 1.84x
Dallington 7 344.83x
Duston 7 73.38x
Folkestone 7 9.47x
Gravesend 7 21.70x
Lamberhurst 7 147.68x
Langsett 7 673.08x
Milstead 7 721.65x
Neithrop 7 30.20x
Northampton St Giles 7 17.49x
Snodland 7 64.81x
St Pancras London 7 0.78x
Barnsley 6 5.26x
Boughton Monchelsea 6 142.86x
East Guildford 6 857.14x
Newport 6 48.31x
Oldham 6 1.40x
Shoreditch London 6 1.24x
Swanscombe 6 35.05x
Withybrook 6 530.97x
Ardsley 5 39.22x
Bradwell 5 52.63x
Dartford 5 12.83x
Dover St Mary Virgin 5 13.56x
East Ham 5 12.22x
Greenwich 5 2.81x
Hastings St Andrew 5 74.07x
Hastings St Leonards 5 18.06x
Newington 5 1.21x
Rusholme 5 14.14x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 74
John 53
George 44
James 40
Thomas 40
Henry 32
Charles 27
Edward 16
Alfred 14
Frederick 14
Joseph 14
Ernest 12
Robert 12
Walter 9
Albert 8
Frank 7
Stephen 7
Arthur 6
Harry 6
Richard 6
Fredrick 5
Samuel 5
Francis 4
Fred 4
Herbert 4
Isaac 4
Thos. 4
Abraham 3
Chas. 3
Edwin 3
Horace 3
Amos 2
Andrew 2
Benjamin 2
Earnest 2
Fredk. 2
Jas. 2
Job 2
Sam 2
Wilfred 2
Willm. 2
Christopher 1
Clarence 1
David 1
Ephraim 1
Firth 1
J.F. 1
Jabez 1
Jacob 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Barden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,143 people were recorded with the Barden surname. That placed it at #3,504 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,016 in 2016. That gives Barden a modern rank of #3,196.

What does the Barden surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a messenger or courier, derived from the Middle English "barde".

What does the Barden map show?

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