NameCensus.

UK surname

Barge

An occupational surname referring to a person who operates or works on a flat-bottomed boat for carrying freight.

In the 1881 census there were 409 people recorded with the Barge surname, ranking it #7,842 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 391, ranked #12,073, down from #7,842 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Brighton and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Cowal South and Caerphilly.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barge is 458 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.4%.

1881 census count

409

Ranked #7,842

Modern count

391

2016, ranked #12,073

Peak year

1901

458 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barge had 409 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,842 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 391 in 2016, ranked #12,073.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 458 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Barge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barge 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 308 #7,478
1861 historical 293 #8,589
1881 historical 409 #7,842
1891 historical 452 #8,050
1901 historical 458 #8,593
1911 historical 447 #8,552
1997 modern 380 #11,418
1998 modern 407 #11,212
1999 modern 408 #11,288
2000 modern 391 #11,591
2001 modern 383 #11,580
2002 modern 390 #11,646
2003 modern 367 #11,988
2004 modern 364 #12,110
2005 modern 347 #12,436
2006 modern 353 #12,363
2007 modern 351 #12,571
2008 modern 362 #12,384
2009 modern 368 #12,476
2010 modern 375 #12,568
2011 modern 370 #12,576
2012 modern 392 #11,898
2013 modern 397 #11,988
2014 modern 403 #11,932
2015 modern 396 #11,994
2016 modern 391 #12,073

Geography

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Where Barges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Brighton and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, Cowal South, Caerphilly, Torbay and Stroud. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Brighton Sussex
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 045 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Cowal South Argyll and Bute
3 Caerphilly 011 Caerphilly
4 Torbay 001 Torbay
5 Stroud 012 Stroud

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barge

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Barge, 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 Barge surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Barge 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, Barge 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

Barge is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Barge falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Barge

The surname Barge has its origins in France, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "barge," which referred to a type of flat-bottomed boat or barge. This suggests that the name initially designated someone who worked as a bargeman or operated a barge for transporting goods and people along rivers and canals.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Barge can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Radulfus Barge in Lincolnshire, England. This indicates that the surname had already been established in parts of Normandy by the 11th century before being introduced to England after the Norman Conquest.

During the Middle Ages, the Barge family spread across various regions of France, including Normandy, Brittany, and Languedoc. In England, the name was particularly prevalent in counties such as Lincolnshire, Warwickshire, and Staffordshire, where rivers and waterways played a significant role in transportation and trade.

One notable figure bearing the Barge surname was Sir Henry Barge (1585-1658), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Warwickshire during the reign of King Charles I. Another prominent individual was Guillaume Barge (1592-1674), a French Benedictine monk and scholar who authored several works on theology and philosophy.

In the 17th century, the Barge family had established itself in the American colonies, with records indicating the presence of individuals like John Barge (c. 1620-1686), who settled in Virginia and served as a justice of the peace. Another early American bearer of the name was William Barge (c. 1650-1715), a landowner and farmer in Westmoreland County, Virginia.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname Barge continued to be documented across various parts of Europe and North America. Notable figures from this period include Jacques Barge (1768-1842), a French politician and lawyer who served as a deputy in the National Convention during the French Revolution, and Joseph Barge (1816-1892), an American businessman and entrepreneur who founded the Barge Brewing Company in Ohio.

While the surname Barge has its roots in France and England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, with bearers of the name found in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, when it first emerged as an occupational surname related to the transportation of goods and people by barge.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barge 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 68 Barges recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.72x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 68 1.72x
Surrey 48 2.49x
Lancashire 44 0.94x
Dorset 29 11.18x
Gloucestershire 28 3.61x
Somerset 27 4.25x
Yorkshire 23 0.59x
Hampshire 18 2.22x
Sussex 16 2.40x
Warwickshire 16 1.61x
Staffordshire 11 0.82x
Montgomeryshire 10 11.05x
Buckinghamshire 9 3.77x
Midlothian 7 1.32x
Devon 6 0.73x
Monmouthshire 6 2.10x
Northumberland 6 1.02x
Cheshire 4 0.46x
Derbyshire 4 0.65x
Essex 4 0.51x
Northamptonshire 4 1.08x
Glamorgan 3 0.44x
Berkshire 2 0.67x
Norfolk 2 0.33x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.59x
Shropshire 2 0.59x
Anglesey 1 1.43x
Bedfordshire 1 0.49x
Hertfordshire 1 0.37x
Kent 1 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.19x
Wiltshire 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Yeovil in Somerset leads with 18 Barges recorded in 1881 and an index of 139.32x.

Place Total Index
Yeovil 18 139.32x
Birmingham 16 4.82x
Brighton 16 11.91x
Sheffield 15 12.04x
Battersea 10 6.88x
Lambeth 10 2.90x
Churchstoke 9 526.32x
Hill 9 3214.29x
Westbury On Trym 9 34.29x
Witley 9 661.76x
Christchurch 8 45.56x
Camberwell 7 2.77x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 3.29x
Hammersmith London 7 7.19x
Mile End Old Town London 7 8.33x
St Marylebone London 7 3.32x
St Pancras London 7 2.20x
St Pancras Soper Lane 7 10000.00x
West Bromwich 7 9.17x
Everton 6 4.02x
Langton Herring 6 1764.71x
Toxteth Park 6 3.78x
Winterborne Abbas 6 2222.22x
Ashford 5 160.26x
Dorchester St Peter 5 265.96x
Earsdon 5 104.60x
Fulham London 5 8.73x
Kirkdale 5 6.34x
Plymouth Charles The 5 13.80x
St George In East London 5 13.46x
Streatham 5 17.06x
Thornbury 5 94.34x
Wycombe 5 28.09x
Burton Upon Trent 4 12.82x
Cheam 4 194.17x
Chepstow 4 82.30x
Haselbury Plucknett 4 500.00x
Manchester 4 1.90x
New Alresford 4 190.48x
Paddington London 4 2.75x
Salford 4 2.90x
Alfreton 3 15.97x
Alverstoke 3 10.24x
East Chinnock 3 384.62x
Fleet 3 1578.95x
Islington London 3 0.78x
Lancaster 3 10.76x
Llandaff 3 13.11x
Lockwood 3 21.31x
Marsden In Almondbury 3 84.27x
St George Martyr London 3 37.50x
Stretford 3 11.63x
Weedon Beck 3 112.78x
West Derby 3 2.19x
West Ham 3 1.74x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 5.37x
Bray 2 22.96x
Bredbury 2 39.60x
Burlestone 2 2857.14x
Cattistock 2 277.78x
Clapham 2 4.05x
Great Yarmouth 2 3.97x
Hillesden 2 666.67x
North Meols 2 4.36x
Preston Bisset 2 425.53x
St Issells 2 75.47x
Stroud 2 13.26x
Trevethin 2 7.42x
Walton On Hill 2 7.88x
Aldenham 1 40.32x
Berkeley Ham Stone 1 285.71x
Berrington 1 74.63x
Bromley London 1 1.15x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.34x
Hursley 1 53.19x
Norwood 1 11.07x
Poplar London 1 1.34x
St Anne Soho London 1 4.43x
Upway 1 101.01x
Westonsuper Mare 1 76.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 24
John 20
Thomas 15
James 13
Frederick 12
George 12
Henry 12
Robert 8
Arthur 6
Joseph 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Harry 4
Richard 4
Samuel 4
Benjamin 3
Edward 3
Albert 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Herbert 2
Matthew 2
Philip 2
Sydney 2
Tom 2
Alexander 1
Christopher 1
Clifford 1
Daniel 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Heoris 1
Horace 1
Hubert 1
Issac 1
Jonny 1
Leonard 1
Phillip 1
Robt. 1
Ronald 1
Saml.N. 1
Sidney 1
Theophilus 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wiliam 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Barge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 409 people were recorded with the Barge surname. That placed it at #7,842 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 391 in 2016. That gives Barge a modern rank of #12,073.

What does the Barge surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who operates or works on a flat-bottomed boat for carrying freight.

What does the Barge map show?

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