NameCensus.

UK surname

Barham

A locational surname derived from places in Kent and Suffolk, England, likely referring to a homestead or enclosure.

In the 1881 census there were 1,863 people recorded with the Barham surname, ranking it #2,340 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,700, ranked #2,487, down from #2,340 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes and Ipswich St Mary Stoke. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Bedfordshire, Bridgend and Ashford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barham is 2,778 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.9%.

1881 census count

1,863

Ranked #2,340

Modern count

2,700

2016, ranked #2,487

Peak year

2014

2,778 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barham had 1,863 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,340 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,700 in 2016, ranked #2,487.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,613 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Barham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barham 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 1,237 #2,313
1861 historical 1,543 #1,841
1881 historical 1,863 #2,340
1891 historical 2,183 #2,143
1901 historical 2,404 #2,260
1911 historical 2,613 #1,966
1997 modern 2,642 #2,411
1998 modern 2,728 #2,428
1999 modern 2,776 #2,406
2000 modern 2,756 #2,412
2001 modern 2,689 #2,416
2002 modern 2,769 #2,405
2003 modern 2,662 #2,435
2004 modern 2,652 #2,442
2005 modern 2,579 #2,471
2006 modern 2,548 #2,505
2007 modern 2,588 #2,486
2008 modern 2,581 #2,515
2009 modern 2,675 #2,484
2010 modern 2,749 #2,480
2011 modern 2,737 #2,466
2012 modern 2,655 #2,488
2013 modern 2,749 #2,461
2014 modern 2,778 #2,458
2015 modern 2,714 #2,477
2016 modern 2,700 #2,487

Geography

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Where Barhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes, Ipswich St Mary Stoke, Middleton with Fordley and Bexley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Central Bedfordshire, Bridgend, Ashford, Waveney and Lambeth. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Ipswich St Mary Stoke Suffolk
4 Middleton with Fordley Suffolk
5 Bexley Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Central Bedfordshire 003 Central Bedfordshire
2 Bridgend 008 Bridgend
3 Ashford 013 Ashford
4 Waveney 015 Waveney
5 Lambeth 016 Lambeth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barham

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Barham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Barham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Barham is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Barham 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

Barham falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Barham

The surname Barham has its origins in England, traceable back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bær" meaning "barn" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "village." This suggests that the name likely originated as a place name referring to a settlement or village where a barn or granary was located.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bercham" in reference to a place in Kent. This entry provides evidence that the name was in use in England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various records with spellings such as "Bereham," "Bercham," and "Barham." These variations reflect the evolution of the name's spelling over time, as well as regional differences in pronunciation and written forms.

Notable individuals bearing the Barham surname include:

1. Henry Barham (c. 1490-1568), an English politician who served as Member of Parliament for Callington, Cornwall. 2. Sir John Barham (1537-1618), an English courtier and politician who served as a Gentleman Usher to Queen Elizabeth I. 3. John Barham (1624-1692), an English clergyman and author known for his writings on church history. 4. Joseph Foster Barham (1759-1832), an English clergyman and author who wrote under the pseudonym "Thomas Ingoldsby." 5. Richard Harris Barham (1788-1845), an English novelist and humorist, best known for his work "The Ingoldsby Legends."

The surname Barham has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Barham in Kent, which dates back to the 9th century and was originally recorded as "Byraham" in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Other place names include Barham in Cambridgeshire and Barham in Suffolk.

While the name Barham has undergone spelling variations over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the Old English language and the formation of place names related to agricultural settlements and granaries. The surname has been borne by notable individuals across various fields, including politics, literature, and the clergy, throughout English history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barham 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 399 Barhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.47x.

County Total Index
Kent 399 6.47x
Middlesex 252 1.39x
Suffolk 214 9.73x
Sussex 184 6.04x
Norfolk 162 5.83x
Surrey 145 1.65x
Essex 75 2.10x
Hampshire 56 1.51x
Yorkshire 52 0.29x
Durham 32 0.60x
Lancashire 32 0.15x
Cambridgeshire 26 2.27x
Bedfordshire 25 2.67x
Hertfordshire 25 2.01x
Derbyshire 24 0.85x
Nottinghamshire 22 0.90x
Leicestershire 16 0.80x
Warwickshire 16 0.35x
Wiltshire 16 1.00x
Northamptonshire 13 0.77x
Somerset 10 0.34x
Staffordshire 10 0.16x
Cornwall 8 0.39x
Pembrokeshire 8 1.39x
Worcestershire 8 0.34x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.46x
Gloucestershire 5 0.14x
Lanarkshire 3 0.05x
Renfrewshire 3 0.21x
Lincolnshire 2 0.07x
Cheshire 1 0.03x
Devon 1 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.28x
Roxburghshire 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shoreditch London in Middlesex leads with 40 Barhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.11x.

Place Total Index
Shoreditch London 40 5.11x
Newington 34 5.09x
Bexley 31 56.89x
Lambeth 28 1.78x
St Pancras London 28 1.93x
Middleton 27 868.17x
Cople 24 845.07x
West Ham 23 2.92x
Islington London 22 1.26x
Hackney London 20 1.97x
East Peckham 19 148.44x
Rye 19 65.63x
Wadhurst 19 95.00x
Bermondsey 18 3.35x
Campsea Ash 18 759.49x
Cranbrook 17 65.11x
Herne 17 62.29x
Hitchin 17 30.24x
Tillington 17 310.22x
Westfield 17 261.14x
Minster In Sheppey 16 15.67x
Seal 16 160.80x
St Marylebone London 16 1.66x
Wymondham 15 52.82x
Hastings St Mary In The 14 21.55x
Hornsey 14 6.13x
Ashford 13 21.66x
Bromley 13 13.84x
Portsea 13 1.79x
Banham 12 169.49x
Bow London 12 5.22x
Chatham 12 7.08x
Greenwich 12 4.17x
Maidstone 12 6.54x
Ore 12 52.93x
Orford 12 169.25x
Westbourne 11 72.56x
Wye 11 115.30x
Aldeburgh 10 76.80x
Badingham 10 240.38x
Deptford St Paul 10 2.10x
Diss 10 42.00x
Horsham 10 16.90x
Lamberhurstsussex 10 252.53x
Little Glemham 10 595.24x
Lowestoft 10 9.62x
Rockland All Sts 10 588.24x
St George Hanover Square 10 3.14x
Birmingham 9 0.59x
Colchester St Mary At 9 71.20x
Davington 9 647.48x
Dickleburgh 9 175.44x
Great Bowden 9 49.40x
Nottingham St Mary 9 1.43x
Orpington 9 47.69x
Peasenhall 9 168.22x
Ramsbury 9 62.20x
Reigate Foreign 9 9.44x
St Andrewthe Great 9 60.85x
Wateringbury 9 111.80x
Alverstoke 8 5.97x
Bonsall 8 95.47x
Bradwell By Coggleshall 8 516.13x
Camberwell 8 0.69x
Castleton 8 3.74x
East Ham 8 12.09x
Easton 8 303.03x
Erith 8 13.17x
Framlingham 8 51.22x
Haswell 8 20.77x
Ipswich St Margaret 8 10.71x
Kensington London 8 0.80x
Leeds 8 0.79x
Newbold Dunston 8 29.76x
Poplar London 8 2.35x
Sevenoaks 8 16.01x
Shelfanger 8 379.15x
St Andrew Holborn London 8 10.23x
Strood 8 22.75x
Wisbech St Peter 8 13.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 109
George 67
John 65
Charles 55
Henry 51
Thomas 49
James 48
Robert 35
Alfred 32
Arthur 31
Frederick 24
Edward 20
Walter 19
Albert 16
Harry 16
Herbert 16
David 15
Francis 13
Frank 13
Richard 12
Ernest 10
Edwin 9
Joseph 8
Samuel 7
Edmund 6
Stephen 6
Wm. 6
Isaac 5
Edgar 4
Philip 4
Robt. 4
Fredk. 3
Harold 3
Horace 3
Hubert 3
Tilden 3
Willie 3
Albt. 2
Alfd. 2
Fred. 2
Isaiah 2
Jas. 2
Jesse 2
Lewis 2
Nicholas 2
Olderthen 2
Percy 2
Saml. 2
Samual 2
Sydney 2

FAQ

Barham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,863 people were recorded with the Barham surname. That placed it at #2,340 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,700 in 2016. That gives Barham a modern rank of #2,487.

What does the Barham surname mean?

A locational surname derived from places in Kent and Suffolk, England, likely referring to a homestead or enclosure.

What does the Barham map show?

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