UK surname
A surname derived from the town of Bārmer located in Rajasthan, India.
In the 1881 census there were 18 people recorded with the Barmer surname, ranking it #31,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 69, ranked #33,762, down from #31,019 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barmer is 206 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 283.3%.
1881 census count
18
Ranked #31,019
Modern count
69
2016, ranked #33,762
Peak year
1861
206 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Barmer surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Barmer surname density by area, 1891 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 | 41 | #25,926 |
| 1861 | historical | 206 | #11,725 |
| 1881 | historical | 18 | #31,019 |
| 1891 | historical | 159 | #17,636 |
| 1901 | historical | 44 | #29,276 |
| 1911 | historical | 23 | #30,923 |
| 1997 | modern | 62 | #31,412 |
| 1998 | modern | 63 | #31,639 |
| 1999 | modern | 67 | #31,409 |
| 2000 | modern | 55 | #32,609 |
| 2001 | modern | 54 | #32,583 |
| 2002 | modern | 58 | #32,564 |
| 2003 | modern | 63 | #32,152 |
| 2004 | modern | 65 | #32,177 |
| 2005 | modern | 65 | #32,387 |
| 2006 | modern | 67 | #32,532 |
| 2007 | modern | 65 | #33,045 |
| 2008 | modern | 67 | #33,135 |
| 2009 | modern | 73 | #32,923 |
| 2010 | modern | 73 | #33,249 |
| 2011 | modern | 67 | #33,704 |
| 2012 | modern | 56 | #34,510 |
| 2013 | modern | 60 | #34,378 |
| 2014 | modern | 62 | #34,281 |
| 2015 | modern | 67 | #33,911 |
| 2016 | modern | 69 | #33,762 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Toxteth Park, Wigan and Liverpool. 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 | Wolverhampton | Staffordshire |
| 2 | Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard | Nottinghamshire |
| 3 | Toxteth Park | Lancashire |
| 4 | Wigan | Lancashire |
| 5 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Barmer 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 Barmer, 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 Barmer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Barmer 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, Barmer 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 Barmer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Barmer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Barmer is of German origin, first appearing in records from the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word 'bar', meaning bare or open, and was likely an occupational surname given to those who lived or worked in open fields or clearings.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Johannes Barmer, a farmer recorded in the town of Münster in 1297. The name was also found in various forms, such as Barmir, Barmyr, and Barmere, in medieval documents from the regions of Westphalia and Lower Saxony.
In the 15th century, the surname appeared in the Bützow town records of Mecklenburg, where a Hans Barmer was mentioned in 1467. Around the same time, a Johann Barmer was recorded as a resident of the city of Hamburg in 1472.
The Barmer name gained prominence in the 16th century, with notable individuals such as Martin Barmer (1534-1592), a Lutheran theologian and author from Nuremberg, and Christoph Barmer (1599-1674), a German jurist and professor of law at the University of Tübingen.
In the 17th century, the name spread to other parts of Europe, including the Netherlands, where a merchant named Pieter Barmer (1628-1701) was recorded in Amsterdam. In England, the Barmer surname appeared in the early 18th century, with records showing a William Barmer (1712-1785) as a landowner in Yorkshire.
Throughout history, several other notable individuals have borne the Barmer surname, including Johann Barmer (1785-1858), a German mathematician and astronomer, and August Barmer (1828-1902), a German-American poet and writer.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barmer 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. Staffordshire leads with 8 Barmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.50x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Staffordshire | 8 | 13.50x |
| Lancashire | 6 | 2.88x |
| Cumberland | 1 | 6.61x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.57x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 4.22x |
| Surrey | 1 | 1.17x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wednesfield in Staffordshire leads with 8 Barmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 919.54x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesfield | 8 | 919.54x |
| Widnes | 4 | 266.67x |
| Bootle Cum Linacre | 1 | 60.61x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 6.53x |
| Pendleton In Salford | 1 | 40.32x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 7.08x |
| Sutton In Ashfield | 1 | 196.08x |
| Whitehaven | 1 | 123.46x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Barmer 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 Barmer 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 Barmer households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 2 |
| Trap Maker | 2 |
| Barber | 1 |
| Cotton Winder | 1 |
| Errand Boy | 1 |
| Frame Work Knitter | 1 |
| Gamekeepers Wife | 1 |
| Genl Laborer | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 18 people were recorded with the Barmer surname. That placed it at #31,019 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 69 in 2016. That gives Barmer a modern rank of #33,762.
A surname derived from the town of Bārmer located in Rajasthan, India.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Barmer 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.