NameCensus.

UK surname

Barnwell

Derived from a place name meaning "stream by a barn" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 603 people recorded with the Barnwell surname, ranking it #5,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 789, ranked #6,999, down from #5,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rugby, Clifton-on-Dunsmoor and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Bedfordshire, Warwick and Newlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barnwell is 860 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.8%.

1881 census count

603

Ranked #5,808

Modern count

789

2016, ranked #6,999

Peak year

2000

860 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barnwell had 603 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 789 in 2016, ranked #6,999.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 799 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Barnwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barnwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barnwell 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 438 #5,615
1861 historical 492 #5,307
1881 historical 603 #5,808
1891 historical 693 #5,657
1901 historical 799 #5,654
1911 historical 778 #5,585
1997 modern 795 #6,567
1998 modern 823 #6,609
1999 modern 851 #6,479
2000 modern 860 #6,392
2001 modern 827 #6,488
2002 modern 826 #6,606
2003 modern 803 #6,630
2004 modern 816 #6,556
2005 modern 793 #6,656
2006 modern 796 #6,658
2007 modern 793 #6,741
2008 modern 823 #6,584
2009 modern 844 #6,598
2010 modern 857 #6,648
2011 modern 816 #6,829
2012 modern 801 #6,822
2013 modern 792 #7,020
2014 modern 800 #7,001
2015 modern 788 #7,016
2016 modern 789 #6,999

Geography

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Where Barnwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rugby, Clifton-on-Dunsmoor, London parishes, Gateshead and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Central Bedfordshire, Warwick, Newlands, Daventry and Halton. 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 Rugby Warwickshire
2 Clifton-on-Dunsmoor Warwickshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Central Bedfordshire 007 Central Bedfordshire
2 Warwick 011 Warwick
3 Newlands Glasgow City
4 Daventry 003 Daventry
5 Halton 015 Halton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barnwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barnwell

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Barnwell 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

Barnwell is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Barnwell falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Barnwell

The surname Barnwell has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from a place called Barnwell, which was once a village located near Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. The name Barnwell is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bere" meaning "barn" and "well" meaning "a spring or stream."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Barnwell can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England and parts of Wales commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book refers to a place called "Barnewelle" in Cambridgeshire, which is likely the origin of the surname.

In the 12th century, a priory known as the Priory of St. Giles and St. Andrew was established in Barnwell, near Cambridge. This priory played a significant role in the history of the area, and it is possible that some individuals may have adopted the surname Barnwell from their association with the priory or the surrounding village.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Barnwell was John Barnwell, who was born around 1320 in Cambridgeshire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire in 1347.

Another notable figure with the surname Barnwell was Robert Barnwell (c. 1395-1470), who was an English clergyman and served as the Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1443 until his death in 1470.

In the 16th century, a family with the surname Barnwell owned a manor house in Tolethorpe, Rutland. The manor house, known as Barnwell Manor, was built in the late 16th century and still stands today.

John Barnwell (1642-1709) was an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire in the late 17th century. He was also a prominent landowner and held the position of High Sheriff of Hertfordshire.

In the 18th century, Thomas Barnwell (1732-1805) was a British architect who designed several notable buildings, including the St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, and the Shire Hall in Monmouth, Wales.

While the surname Barnwell has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, due to immigration and population movements over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barnwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barnwell 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. Warwickshire leads with 196 Barnwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.19x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 196 13.19x
Middlesex 48 0.81x
Durham 39 2.22x
Surrey 26 0.91x
Lancashire 23 0.33x
Kent 21 1.04x
Bedfordshire 20 6.56x
Yorkshire 20 0.34x
Northamptonshire 17 3.07x
Hampshire 16 1.32x
Leicestershire 15 2.30x
Hertfordshire 14 3.45x
Somerset 14 1.48x
Worcestershire 14 1.82x
Buckinghamshire 12 3.37x
Staffordshire 10 0.50x
Wiltshire 10 1.92x
Herefordshire 9 3.73x
Shropshire 9 1.77x
Sussex 9 0.91x
Devon 7 0.57x
Flintshire 7 4.42x
Morayshire 7 7.65x
Northumberland 7 0.80x
Denbighshire 5 2.25x
Lanarkshire 5 0.26x
Berkshire 4 0.90x
Cheshire 3 0.23x
Derbyshire 3 0.33x
Gloucestershire 3 0.26x
Suffolk 3 0.42x
Dorset 2 0.52x
Norfolk 2 0.22x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.07x
Lincolnshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 1.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 28 Barnwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.65x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 28 5.65x
Rugby 21 104.48x
Coventry Holy Trinity 18 40.57x
Stretton On Dunsmore 18 1323.53x
Hillmorton 17 641.51x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 16 21.07x
Aston 13 3.18x
Clifton On Dunsmore 12 1000.00x
Great Linford 11 1222.22x
Islington London 11 1.93x
Kings Norton 11 15.94x
Bishop Auckland 10 42.52x
Millbrook 10 32.87x
Hinton St George 9 656.93x
Husborne Crawley 9 927.84x
Paddington London 9 4.15x
Dunnington In York 8 533.33x
Kenilworth 8 95.47x
Leamington Priors 8 21.88x
Leicester St Margaret 8 5.02x
Ross 8 83.25x
Alveley 7 346.53x
Broadwater 7 30.72x
Chelsfield 7 364.58x
Gateshead 7 5.33x
Hawarden 7 56.27x
Hertford St John 7 115.70x
Paston 7 296.61x
St Pancras London 7 1.48x
Urquhart 7 161.66x
Warwick St Mary 7 54.26x
Baginton 6 1363.64x
Finedon 6 123.71x
Kirkby Overblow 6 1111.11x
Lambeth 6 1.17x
Salisbury St Martin 6 110.70x
Stoke 6 204.78x
Westoe 6 6.04x
Govan 5 1.06x
Manchester 5 1.59x
Watford 5 15.88x
Battersea 4 1.85x
Berkswell 4 136.05x
Bourton On Dunsmore 4 677.97x
Broughton In Salford 4 6.26x
Coventry St Michael 4 8.38x
Foleshill 4 25.59x
Melksham 4 44.20x
Salford 4 1.95x
Seaton Delaval 4 51.95x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 3.37x
St Marylebone London 4 1.27x
Stoke Damerel 4 4.66x
Thurlaston 4 597.01x
Uttoxeter 4 39.29x
Woburn 4 150.94x
York St Cuthbert 4 74.91x
Aspley Guise 3 102.74x
Gravesend 3 17.63x
Great Malvern 3 18.69x
Herne 3 33.71x
Kingsthorpe 3 48.70x
Kirkley 3 50.00x
Leamington 3 30.46x
Llangerniew 3 209.79x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 5.73x
Pendleton In Salford 3 3.60x
St Luke London 3 3.17x
St Martin In Fields 3 8.51x
Stone 3 11.79x
Wandsworth 3 5.29x
Wavertree 3 13.40x
Bearsted 2 165.29x
Boughton Under Blean 2 59.35x
Cannington 2 70.92x
Exeter Heavitree 2 21.88x
Great Amwell 2 49.14x
Newington 2 0.92x
St George Hanover Square 2 1.93x
West Derby 2 0.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 38
Elizabeth 25
Sarah 20
Ann 19
Catherine 13
Alice 12
Jane 12
Hannah 10
Annie 9
Eliza 9
Ellen 7
Emma 6
Louisa 6
Margaret 6
Caroline 5
Lucy 5
Ada 4
Charlotte 4
Kate 4
Florence 3
Maria 3
Matilda 3
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Clara 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Henrietta 2
Josephine 2
Julia 2
Minnie 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Aggie 1
Alberta 1
Beatrice 1
Calea 1
Cordelia 1
Cornelia 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Elizebth 1
Elizebth. 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Helen 1
Jean 1
Jessie 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 38
John 29
Thomas 28
George 21
Charles 17
James 16
Henry 14
Joseph 9
Richard 9
Walter 8
Alfred 6
Edward 6
Frank 6
Samuel 6
Arthur 5
Harry 5
Ernest 4
Francis 4
Robert 4
Stephen 4
David 3
Herbert 3
Albert 2
Bertie 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Michael 2
Percy 2
Willm. 2
Allen 1
Arther 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Fredk. 1
G. 1
Harold 1
Isaac 1
Jeremiah 1
Job 1
Latimer 1
Lewis 1
Owen 1
Patrick 1
Reginald 1
Richd. 1
Robt. 1
Samual 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Barnwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barnwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 603 people were recorded with the Barnwell surname. That placed it at #5,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barnwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 789 in 2016. That gives Barnwell a modern rank of #6,999.

What does the Barnwell surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "stream by a barn" in Old English.

What does the Barnwell map show?

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