NameCensus.

UK surname

Baron

A status surname referring to a landowner who held a barony, ranking below a viscount in the nobility.

In the 1881 census there were 3,096 people recorded with the Baron surname, ranking it #1,453 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,668, ranked #1,856, down from #1,453 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hyndburn, Blackburn with Darwen and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Baron is 4,120 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.5%.

1881 census count

3,096

Ranked #1,453

Modern count

3,668

2016, ranked #1,856

Peak year

1911

4,120 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Baron had 3,096 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,453 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,668 in 2016, ranked #1,856.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,120 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Baron surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Baron surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Baron 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 1,915 #1,509
1861 historical 2,085 #1,388
1881 historical 3,096 #1,453
1891 historical 3,306 #1,439
1901 historical 3,786 #1,486
1911 historical 4,120 #1,251
1997 modern 3,635 #1,786
1998 modern 3,666 #1,838
1999 modern 3,709 #1,834
2000 modern 3,644 #1,860
2001 modern 3,527 #1,876
2002 modern 3,590 #1,888
2003 modern 3,492 #1,895
2004 modern 3,549 #1,863
2005 modern 3,509 #1,860
2006 modern 3,519 #1,857
2007 modern 3,541 #1,860
2008 modern 3,546 #1,867
2009 modern 3,643 #1,866
2010 modern 3,729 #1,863
2011 modern 3,616 #1,902
2012 modern 3,576 #1,879
2013 modern 3,692 #1,854
2014 modern 3,718 #1,857
2015 modern 3,695 #1,849
2016 modern 3,668 #1,856

Geography

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Where Barons are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Hyndburn, Blackburn with Darwen and Rochdale. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hyndburn 001 Hyndburn
2 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Hyndburn 007 Hyndburn
4 Hyndburn 004 Hyndburn
5 Rochdale 005 Rochdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Baron

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Baron

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Baron surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Baron household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Baron is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Baron is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Baron 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 Baron 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 Baron, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Baron

The surname Baron originated in France during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "baron," which was a loanword from the medieval Latin term "baro," meaning a man or husband. The word "baro" itself originated from the medieval Spanish word "varon," meaning a man or warrior.

In medieval France, the title "baron" referred to a feudal lord or nobleman who held land and power from a higher authority, typically a count or duke. The surname Baron likely emerged as a way to identify individuals associated with a particular baron or noble family.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Baron can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and resources commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Baron, indicating that the name was already in use in parts of England by the late 11th century.

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the surname Baron became more widespread throughout France and England. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Étienne Baron (c. 1135-1189), a French nobleman and crusader who participated in the Third Crusade, and William Baron (c. 1225-1292), an English landowner and member of the gentry in Hertfordshire.

In the 14th century, the surname Baron continued to gain prominence, particularly in England. One notable figure was Sir Ralph Baron (c. 1320-1390), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament who served as Sheriff of Hertfordshire and Essex.

The 15th century saw the emergence of several distinguished individuals with the surname Baron, including John Baron (c. 1438-1510), a prominent English merchant and alderman of London, and Richard Baron (c. 1450-1524), an English churchman who served as Bishop of London from 1504 to 1521.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Baron remained well-established in various parts of Europe, particularly in France, England, and the Netherlands. Notable individuals from this period include Bonaventure Baron (c. 1610-1696), a French mathematician and physicist, and Samuel Baron (c. 1625-1697), an English minister and author known for his works on biblical criticism and theology.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Baron families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Baron 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. Lancashire leads with 2,083 Barons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.80x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,083 5.80x
Yorkshire 292 0.97x
Middlesex 106 0.35x
Cornwall 94 2.75x
Cheshire 79 1.18x
Surrey 79 0.54x
Devon 48 0.76x
Hertfordshire 26 1.25x
Warwickshire 24 0.31x
Hampshire 20 0.32x
Northumberland 20 0.44x
Channel Islands 18 2.01x
Gloucestershire 18 0.30x
Durham 17 0.19x
Nottinghamshire 14 0.34x
Suffolk 14 0.38x
Essex 12 0.20x
Kent 12 0.12x
Lincolnshire 11 0.23x
Glamorgan 10 0.19x
Staffordshire 10 0.10x
Lanarkshire 9 0.09x
Derbyshire 7 0.15x
Leicestershire 7 0.21x
Midlothian 7 0.17x
Northamptonshire 7 0.25x
Worcestershire 7 0.18x
Sussex 6 0.12x
Bedfordshire 5 0.32x
Flintshire 5 0.62x
Norfolk 5 0.11x
Wiltshire 5 0.19x
Angus 4 0.14x
Westmorland 3 0.45x
Berkshire 2 0.09x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.10x
Monmouthshire 2 0.09x
Royal Navy 2 0.56x
Somerset 2 0.04x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.12x
Inverness-shire 1 0.11x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.14x
Shetland 1 0.32x
Shropshire 1 0.04x
Stirlingshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 242 Barons recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.35x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 242 25.35x
Over Darwen 132 46.05x
Great Harwood 111 171.14x
Wigan 102 20.34x
Lower Darwen 97 205.94x
Accrington 84 25.75x
Oldham 82 7.08x
Spotland 79 19.80x
Manchester 67 4.15x
Mevagissey 64 281.32x
Castleton 59 16.46x
Bury 54 13.17x
Little Bolton 43 9.32x
Preston 38 3.96x
Walton Le Dale 33 34.23x
Royton 32 29.15x
Ashton Under Lyne 31 3.95x
Leeds 31 1.83x
Ince In Makerfield 29 17.37x
Great Bolton 28 5.89x
Chorlton On Medlock 27 4.74x
Newchurch 26 8.86x
Oswaldtwistle 24 18.93x
Lambeth 23 0.87x
Pemberton 23 16.07x
Leyland 22 35.24x
Salford 21 1.99x
Heap 19 9.98x
Holy Trinity 19 2.64x
Balderstone 17 337.30x
Barnsley 17 5.50x
Walkington 17 167.65x
Brindle 16 129.35x
Chadderton 16 9.12x
Little Hulton 16 26.93x
Sidmouth 16 44.41x
Sharples 15 38.54x
Layton With Warbreck 14 10.63x
Nottingham St Mary 14 1.33x
Radcliffe 14 8.09x
Southwark St George Martyr 13 2.14x
Birmingham 12 0.47x
Clayton Le Moors 12 17.24x
Dukinfield 12 3.89x
Habergham Eaves 12 3.66x
Livesey 12 19.05x
Macclesfield 12 4.04x
Pendleton In Salford 12 2.81x
Bridlington 11 16.03x
Chorley 11 5.46x
Islington London 11 0.38x
Little Lever 11 23.97x
St Anne 11 68.75x
Toxteth Park 11 0.91x
Aspull 10 11.85x
Burnley 10 3.31x
Elton 10 8.07x
Holdenhurst 10 6.15x
Hulme 10 1.33x
Hunslet 10 2.14x
Newent 10 33.18x
Stockport 10 2.91x
Hambleton 9 223.33x
Hilderthorpe 9 59.48x
Liverpool 9 0.41x
Nafferton 9 70.48x
St Marylebone London 9 0.56x
Westminster St John 9 2.44x
Widnes 9 3.48x
Worsley 9 4.07x
Wuerdle Wardle 9 8.26x
Battersea 8 0.72x
Bodmin 8 14.12x
Brinnington 8 12.83x
Lanivet 8 75.05x
Liskeard 8 13.97x
Rishton 8 19.01x
Sheffield 8 0.84x
Shevington 8 48.75x
Welwyn 8 44.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 244
Elizabeth 118
Sarah 97
Alice 94
Ann 75
Margaret 75
Jane 73
Ellen 66
Hannah 43
Emma 37
Martha 37
Annie 28
Betty 28
Eliza 26
Emily 25
Nancy 24
Betsy 18
Clara 16
Harriet 15
Louisa 15
Agnes 14
Catherine 14
Esther 12
Lucy 12
Frances 11
Ada 10
Caroline 10
Rachel 10
Edith 9
Fanny 9
Maria 8
Selina 8
Anne 7
Isabella 7
Susannah 7
Beatrice 6
Charlotte 6
Kate 6
Susan 6
Florence 5
Matilda 5
May 5
Rose 5
Ruth 5
Sophia 5
Amelia 4
Barbara 4
Bertha 4
Elizth. 4
Lily 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 199
William 170
James 158
Thomas 126
George 69
Joseph 64
Robert 62
Henry 47
Charles 33
Edward 25
Richard 25
Alfred 23
Albert 20
Arthur 19
Samuel 19
Benjamin 16
Frederick 15
Joshua 15
Walter 15
David 12
Wm. 12
Frank 11
Edwin 9
Francis 9
Herbert 9
Peter 9
Isaac 8
Edmund 7
Fred 7
Matthew 7
Ralph 7
Thos. 7
Ernest 6
Lawrence 6
Adam 5
Andrew 5
Mathew 5
Abraham 4
Chas. 4
Harry 4
Leonard 4
Miles 4
Moses 4
Nathaniel 4
Nicholas 4
Patrick 4
Robt. 4
Fredk. 3
Mark 3
Percy 3

FAQ

Baron surname: questions and answers

How common was the Baron surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,096 people were recorded with the Baron surname. That placed it at #1,453 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Baron surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,668 in 2016. That gives Baron a modern rank of #1,856.

What does the Baron surname mean?

A status surname referring to a landowner who held a barony, ranking below a viscount in the nobility.

What does the Baron map show?

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