NameCensus.

UK surname

Barnsley

An English habitational surname derived from the town of Barnsley in West Yorkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 1,175 people recorded with the Barnsley surname, ranking it #3,425 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,530, ranked #4,047, down from #3,425 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dudley, Rowley Regis and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bromsgrove, Sandwell and Amber Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barnsley is 1,680 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.2%.

1881 census count

1,175

Ranked #3,425

Modern count

1,530

2016, ranked #4,047

Peak year

1911

1,680 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barnsley had 1,175 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,425 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,530 in 2016, ranked #4,047.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,680 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Barnsley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barnsley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barnsley 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 572 #4,447
1861 historical 787 #3,503
1881 historical 1,175 #3,425
1891 historical 1,314 #3,306
1901 historical 1,550 #3,324
1911 historical 1,680 #2,913
1997 modern 1,535 #3,832
1998 modern 1,594 #3,858
1999 modern 1,586 #3,900
2000 modern 1,573 #3,905
2001 modern 1,532 #3,919
2002 modern 1,559 #3,951
2003 modern 1,547 #3,889
2004 modern 1,550 #3,882
2005 modern 1,542 #3,863
2006 modern 1,558 #3,814
2007 modern 1,558 #3,844
2008 modern 1,571 #3,851
2009 modern 1,602 #3,875
2010 modern 1,612 #3,934
2011 modern 1,600 #3,910
2012 modern 1,550 #3,961
2013 modern 1,570 #3,982
2014 modern 1,566 #4,009
2015 modern 1,537 #4,039
2016 modern 1,530 #4,047

Geography

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Where Barnsleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dudley, Rowley Regis, Sheffield, Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bromsgrove, Sandwell, Amber Valley and Blaenau Gwent. 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 Dudley Staffordshire
2 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bromsgrove 001 Bromsgrove
2 Sandwell 022 Sandwell
3 Amber Valley 003 Amber Valley
4 Blaenau Gwent 003 Blaenau Gwent
5 Sandwell 035 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barnsley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barnsley

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Barnsley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Barnsley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Barnsley 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

Barnsley is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Barnsley falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Barnsley

The surname Barnsley originated in Yorkshire, England, and is believed to date back to the 11th century. It is a locational name derived from the town of Barnsley, which is located in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire. The name is thought to come from the Old English words "beorn," meaning a warrior or nobleman, and "leah," meaning a woodland clearing or meadow.

Barnsley is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century and was likely associated with individuals who lived in or owned land in the area known as Barnsley.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Barnsley is that of William de Barnsley, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1176. Another early record is from 1275, which refers to a John de Berneslaye, using an older spelling of the place name.

In the 14th century, a notable figure with the surname Barnsley was Robert de Barnsley, who was a member of the Parliament of England and served as the Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1390. During the same period, a John de Barnsley was recorded as a canon of the Cathedral Church of St. Peter in York in 1349.

In the 16th century, a prominent individual with the surname Barnsley was Thomas Barnsley, who was born in 1548 and served as the Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1580. Another notable figure was John Barnsley, who was born in 1594 and became a renowned scholar and author, publishing works on theology and philosophy.

During the 17th century, a notable Barnsley was Robert Barnsley, who was born in 1621 and served as a member of the English Parliament representing Yorkshire from 1660 to 1679. In the 18th century, Joseph Barnsley, born in 1743, was a prominent architect and surveyor who designed several important buildings in Yorkshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barnsley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barnsley 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. Staffordshire leads with 268 Barnsleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.93x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 268 6.93x
Warwickshire 193 6.68x
Worcestershire 166 11.09x
Yorkshire 150 1.32x
Lancashire 112 0.82x
Derbyshire 54 3.01x
Middlesex 28 0.24x
Cheshire 26 1.03x
Durham 23 0.67x
Northumberland 21 1.23x
Lincolnshire 19 1.04x
Shropshire 19 1.92x
Kent 12 0.31x
Glamorgan 11 0.55x
Leicestershire 8 0.63x
Cumberland 7 0.71x
Hampshire 7 0.30x
Cambridgeshire 6 0.83x
Lanarkshire 6 0.16x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.39x
Surrey 6 0.11x
Devon 5 0.21x
Gloucestershire 5 0.22x
Sussex 5 0.26x
Midlothian 3 0.20x
Monmouthshire 3 0.36x
Dorset 2 0.27x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.14x
Cornwall 1 0.08x
Northamptonshire 1 0.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rowley Regis in Staffordshire leads with 77 Barnsleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 71.42x.

Place Total Index
Rowley Regis 77 71.42x
Oldbury 64 86.91x
Birmingham 62 6.44x
Dudley 56 30.77x
Sheffield 47 13.00x
Aston 35 4.40x
Wednesbury 33 34.13x
Kings Norton 24 17.88x
West Bromwich 24 10.84x
Ecclesall Bierlow 22 9.52x
Edgbaston 22 24.55x
Atherstone 20 135.50x
Nether Hallam 18 11.71x
The Hill 16 166.49x
Bilston 15 20.01x
Denton 15 49.77x
Harborne 15 12.10x
Pendlebury 15 52.23x
Bradford 14 21.99x
Winster 14 426.83x
Handsworth 12 12.58x
Tynemouth 12 13.14x
Westoe 11 5.69x
Brightside Bierlow 10 4.49x
Coventry Holy Trinity 10 11.59x
Kingswinford 10 7.12x
Sedgley 10 6.96x
Stockport 10 7.68x
Walsall Foreign 10 5.00x
Wednesfield 10 17.56x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 9 8.51x
Mancetter 9 108.30x
Nuneaton 9 26.87x
Sellinge 9 352.94x
Shifnal 9 33.48x
Wellington 9 16.17x
Aldwark 8 2222.22x
Coventry St Michael 8 8.62x
Everton 8 1.85x
Foleshill 8 26.31x
Great Bowden 8 69.20x
Hulme 8 2.82x
Norton Canes 8 56.74x
Peak Forest 8 408.16x
Rotherham 8 12.49x
South Shields 8 26.33x
Swansea Town 8 4.89x
Toxteth Park 8 1.74x
Upper Penn 8 82.56x
Wolverhampton 8 2.69x
Barrow In Furness 7 3.78x
Hoyland Nether 7 25.13x
Macclesfield 7 6.22x
Penrith 7 19.20x
St Botolph Lincoln 7 53.11x
Tranmere 7 7.53x
Bow London 6 4.11x
Chesterton 6 26.81x
Darlaston 6 11.22x
Hucknall Torkard 6 15.31x
Moston 6 43.99x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 6 23.27x
Wirksworth 6 36.79x
Alton 5 28.23x
Ardsley 5 38.20x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 6.67x
Buxton 5 32.92x
Dalziel 5 12.54x
Ogley Hay 5 62.27x
Castleton 4 2.94x
Chadderton 4 6.02x
Chilvers Coton 4 33.64x
Glaisdale 4 92.38x
Haughton 4 20.16x
Heeley 4 11.59x
Plymouth Charles The 4 3.81x
Stone 4 8.08x
Sutton Coldfield 4 13.17x
Tipton 4 3.38x
Walsall Borough 4 13.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 69
William 67
Thomas 41
George 38
Joseph 33
James 31
Henry 27
Alfred 16
Robert 14
Samuel 14
Arthur 11
Benjamin 11
Charles 11
Frank 11
Albert 10
Richard 10
Edwin 9
Frederick 9
Harry 8
Thos. 7
Walter 7
David 6
Edward 6
Godfrey 6
Ernest 5
Joshua 5
Isaac 4
Wm. 4
Daniel 3
Geo. 3
Johnson 3
Jonathan 3
Noah 3
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Eli 2
Elijah 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
H.T. 2
Henery 2
Leonard 2
Matthew 2
Michael 2
Oliver 2
Roland 2
Simeon 2
Solomon 2
Sylvester 2

FAQ

Barnsley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barnsley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,175 people were recorded with the Barnsley surname. That placed it at #3,425 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barnsley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,530 in 2016. That gives Barnsley a modern rank of #4,047.

What does the Barnsley surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from the town of Barnsley in West Yorkshire.

What does the Barnsley map show?

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