NameCensus.

UK surname

Barr

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a barrier, gate, or barred entranceway.

In the 1881 census there were 7,263 people recorded with the Barr surname, ranking it #587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 11,666, ranked #560, up from #587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Renfrew West, Northern and Irvine Valley Rural and Yoker South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barr is 11,809 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.6%.

1881 census count

7,263

Ranked #587

Modern count

11,666

2016, ranked #560

Peak year

2014

11,809 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barr had 7,263 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 11,666 in 2016, ranked #560.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,139 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Barr surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barr surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barr 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 5,009 #551
1861 historical 5,460 #505
1881 historical 7,263 #587
1891 historical 7,946 #557
1901 historical 9,139 #575
1911 historical 4,287 #1,211
1997 modern 10,821 #571
1998 modern 11,154 #574
1999 modern 11,291 #572
2000 modern 11,258 #569
2001 modern 10,968 #569
2002 modern 11,249 #569
2003 modern 11,002 #568
2004 modern 10,970 #573
2005 modern 10,891 #569
2006 modern 10,899 #567
2007 modern 11,062 #562
2008 modern 11,179 #561
2009 modern 11,491 #562
2010 modern 11,748 #562
2011 modern 11,555 #563
2012 modern 11,451 #558
2013 modern 11,694 #559
2014 modern 11,809 #559
2015 modern 11,661 #559
2016 modern 11,666 #560

Geography

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Where Barrs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Renfrew West, Northern and Irvine Valley Rural, Yoker South, Kilwinning West and Blacklands and Govan and Linthouse. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Renfrew West Renfrewshire
2 Northern and Irvine Valley Rural East Ayrshire
3 Yoker South Glasgow City
4 Kilwinning West and Blacklands North Ayrshire
5 Govan and Linthouse Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barr

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barr

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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, Barr 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

Barr is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Barr

The surname Barr is of Scottish origin, deriving from the Gaelic word 'bàrr' meaning 'summit' or 'height'. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, given to someone who lived on or near a hill or elevated land.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Barr can be found in the late 13th century. One of the earliest documented bearers was John de Barre, who was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical record of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England.

In the 14th century, the name Barr appeared in various spellings, such as de Barre, de Barr, and Barre, reflecting the fluid nature of surnames in medieval times. One notable bearer from this period was Robert de Barre, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

The surname Barr has also been associated with several place names in Scotland, including Barr in Ayrshire and Barr in Renfrewshire. These locations likely contributed to the spread and adoption of the name in their respective regions.

Throughout history, the Barr surname has been borne by several notable individuals, such as Robert Barr (1850-1912), a Scottish-Canadian author known for his detective fiction; James Barr (1862-1949), a Scottish-American golfer and one of the pioneers of professional golf; and Roseanne Barr (born 1952), an American comedian and actress.

Other notable bearers of the Barr surname include John Barr (1809-1889), a Scottish minister and author; Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr (1831-1919), an American novelist and educator; and Stringfellow Barr (1897-1982), an American educator and writer.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barr families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barr 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. Lanarkshire leads with 2,242 Barrs recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.81x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 2,242 9.81x
Renfrewshire 842 15.38x
Ayrshire 636 12.03x
Middlesex 532 0.75x
Lancashire 463 0.55x
Yorkshire 378 0.54x
Warwickshire 188 1.06x
Surrey 174 0.51x
Midlothian 168 1.78x
Lincolnshire 165 1.46x
Dunbartonshire 160 8.43x
Kent 125 0.52x
Essex 105 0.75x
Stirlingshire 103 3.95x
Durham 82 0.39x
Cheshire 74 0.47x
Angus 68 1.04x
Argyllshire 61 3.10x
Hampshire 58 0.40x
Berkshire 49 0.92x
Hertfordshire 47 0.97x
Northumberland 43 0.41x
Gloucestershire 37 0.27x
Fife 35 0.84x
Cumberland 32 0.53x
Sussex 29 0.24x
Buteshire 27 6.31x
Devon 24 0.16x
Shropshire 21 0.34x
Perthshire 20 0.63x
Bedfordshire 19 0.52x
Aberdeenshire 16 0.24x
Peeblesshire 16 4.82x
East Lothian 15 1.60x
Kirkcudbrightshire 14 1.37x
Staffordshire 14 0.06x
Suffolk 12 0.14x
West Lothian 12 1.13x
Clackmannanshire 11 1.89x
Leicestershire 11 0.14x
Northamptonshire 11 0.17x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.12x
Dumfriesshire 10 0.64x
Norfolk 10 0.09x
Derbyshire 9 0.08x
Isle of Man 8 0.61x
Royal Navy 7 0.83x
Monmouthshire 5 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 5 0.22x
Somerset 5 0.04x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.09x
Glamorgan 4 0.03x
Oxfordshire 3 0.07x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.05x
Kincardineshire 2 0.23x
Roxburghshire 2 0.16x
Selkirkshire 2 0.31x
Sutherland 2 0.37x
Westmorland 2 0.13x
Wigtownshire 2 0.21x
Worcestershire 2 0.02x
Anglesey 1 0.08x
Berwickshire 1 0.12x
Channel Islands 1 0.05x
Cornwall 1 0.01x
Kinross-shire 1 0.56x
Rutland 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 588 Barrs recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.17x.

Place Total Index
Barony 588 10.17x
Govan 450 7.96x
Glasgow 285 7.03x
Abbey 195 23.34x
Dalry 141 56.67x
Hamilton 116 18.20x
Lesmahagow 100 41.39x
Paisley High Church 95 21.80x
Kilbarchan 91 54.72x
Kilmarnock 87 13.83x
Bothwell 83 13.40x
East Greenock 75 14.51x
St Pancras London 72 1.27x
West Greenock 71 7.23x
Cambusnethan 68 13.40x
Shoreditch London 68 2.22x
Dalserf 64 28.07x
Hackney London 62 1.57x
Kilwinning 57 33.39x
Carluke 56 26.99x
Dalziel 55 22.38x
Leeds 55 1.39x
Islington London 52 0.76x
Beith 50 31.69x
Camberwell 48 1.06x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 47 1.23x
Avondale 45 33.69x
Liverpool 44 0.86x
Renfrew 44 24.34x
Bonhill 42 13.78x
East Kilbride 42 42.93x
Cathcart 41 13.84x
Aston 40 0.82x
Kirkdale 40 2.84x
Lanark 40 21.76x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 38 15.75x
Paisley Low Church 37 21.35x
Stonehouse 37 47.74x
Kirkby Ireleth 36 86.10x
Portsea 36 1.27x
West Derby 36 1.47x
Wivenhoe 36 65.01x
Barrow In Furness 35 3.07x
Ardrossan 34 18.58x
Inverkip 34 26.35x
Kirkintilloch 33 12.80x
Liff Benvie 33 3.32x
Dundonald 32 16.41x
Everton 32 1.20x
Neilston 32 11.64x
New Monkland 32 4.74x
Birmingham 31 0.52x
Dundee 30 1.23x
Blantyre 28 11.77x
Houston Killallan 28 52.85x
Chelsea London 27 1.27x
Kensington London 27 0.69x
Newton In Makerfield 27 10.52x
Paisley Middle Church 27 8.47x
Rutherglen 26 7.76x
Campsie 25 17.48x
Old Monkland 25 2.76x
Ayr 24 9.62x
Falkirk 24 3.93x
Leamington Priors 24 5.47x
Slamannan 23 16.12x
Dumbarton 21 7.95x
Gorbals 21 15.49x
West Ham 21 0.68x
Coventry St Michael 20 3.49x
Deptford St Paul 20 1.08x
Mile End Old Town London 20 1.33x
New Kilpatrick 20 11.07x
Shotts 20 7.32x
Coventry Holy Trinity 19 3.57x
Eastwood 19 5.64x
Hornsea 19 42.79x
Largs 19 15.25x
North Leith 18 4.11x
St Marylebone London 18 0.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 172
Elizabeth 102
Sarah 90
Margaret 57
Emma 51
Jane 49
Alice 46
Ellen 45
Emily 41
Annie 40
Ann 39
Hannah 31
Eliza 27
Louisa 19
Martha 18
Ada 17
Catherine 17
Florence 17
Agnes 16
Fanny 16
Harriett 16
Charlotte 15
Isabella 14
Susan 14
Harriet 13
Maria 13
Edith 12
Julia 12
Anne 11
Elizth. 10
Frances 10
Kate 10
Clara 9
Minnie 8
Rebecca 8
Rose 8
Sophia 8
Amelia 7
Eleanor 7
Esther 7
Helen 7
Jessie 7
Susannah 7
Amy 6
Caroline 6
Janet 6
Lucy 6
Betsy 5
Gertrude 5
Grace 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 172
William 161
George 103
James 91
Thomas 82
Henry 57
Robert 57
Charles 55
Joseph 43
Arthur 39
Edward 35
Alfred 33
Frederick 30
Samuel 20
Richard 18
Alexander 17
Harry 16
Walter 16
Frank 15
Albert 12
David 12
Francis 12
Benjamin 11
Daniel 11
Ernest 11
Herbert 10
Andrew 9
Peter 8
Fredk. 7
Matthew 7
Edwin 6
Archibald 5
Ralph 5
Adam 4
Robt. 4
Tom 4
W. 4
Wm. 4
Fred 3
Fredrick 3
Hugh 3
Jesse 3
Oliver 3
Percy 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Moses 2
Nathaniel 2
Philip 2
Reginald 2

FAQ

Barr surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barr surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,263 people were recorded with the Barr surname. That placed it at #587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barr surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 11,666 in 2016. That gives Barr a modern rank of #560.

What does the Barr surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a barrier, gate, or barred entranceway.

What does the Barr map show?

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