NameCensus.

UK surname

Barratt

A variant of the French surname Barrette, meaning from a minor fortified place.

In the 1881 census there were 6,072 people recorded with the Barratt surname, ranking it #725 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,611, ranked #878, down from #725 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Stockport and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire, Kettering and Rugby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barratt is 7,994 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.3%.

1881 census count

6,072

Ranked #725

Modern count

7,611

2016, ranked #878

Peak year

2010

7,994 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barratt had 6,072 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #725 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,611 in 2016, ranked #878.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,740 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Barratt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barratt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barratt 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 3,874 #731
1861 historical 3,602 #779
1881 historical 6,072 #725
1891 historical 5,911 #798
1901 historical 7,379 #729
1911 historical 7,740 #672
1997 modern 7,497 #858
1998 modern 7,821 #858
1999 modern 7,852 #860
2000 modern 7,844 #857
2001 modern 7,646 #860
2002 modern 7,878 #851
2003 modern 7,659 #856
2004 modern 7,668 #856
2005 modern 7,519 #860
2006 modern 7,476 #869
2007 modern 7,488 #874
2008 modern 7,505 #878
2009 modern 7,794 #863
2010 modern 7,994 #857
2011 modern 7,822 #864
2012 modern 7,642 #866
2013 modern 7,784 #864
2014 modern 7,809 #865
2015 modern 7,690 #870
2016 modern 7,611 #878

Geography

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Where Barratts are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to East Northamptonshire, Kettering, Rugby, High Peak and Shropshire. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 001 East Northamptonshire
2 Kettering 003 Kettering
3 Rugby 003 Rugby
4 High Peak 008 High Peak
5 Shropshire 005 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barratt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barratt

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

Barratt is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Barratt

The surname Barratt has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "barat," meaning strife or quarrel, and was likely an occupational name for a soldier or someone who engaged in battle or confrontation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1194, where it is listed as "Matilda Barat." This suggests that the surname was already in use as a hereditary name by the late 12th century.

During the 13th century, the name began to appear in various records across England, with variations in spelling such as Barret, Barrett, and Barratt. These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

The Barratt surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded was Sir John Barratt, a member of the English Parliament who served during the reign of King Edward III in the 14th century.

Another notable figure was William Barratt (1558-1623), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Bristol Cathedral and wrote several religious works.

In the 17th century, Thomas Barratt (1617-1668) was a prominent English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Middlesex during the English Civil War.

Later, in the 19th century, Alfred Barratt (1844-1881) was a renowned English landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes and countryside landscapes.

Additionally, Sir Jonah Barratt (1892-1968) was a British businessman and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the aircraft industry in the early 20th century.

While these are just a few examples, the Barratt surname has been carried by many individuals across various fields and professions throughout history, with its roots firmly planted in medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barratt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barratt 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 957 Barratts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.36x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 957 1.36x
Staffordshire 698 3.49x
Yorkshire 566 0.96x
Middlesex 505 0.85x
Cheshire 423 3.23x
Warwickshire 352 2.36x
Lincolnshire 237 2.50x
Nottinghamshire 237 2.97x
Northamptonshire 230 4.13x
Surrey 203 0.70x
Derbyshire 199 2.14x
Leicestershire 199 3.03x
Worcestershire 120 1.55x
Devon 106 0.86x
Shropshire 98 1.91x
Cornwall 84 1.25x
Gloucestershire 81 0.70x
Hampshire 69 0.57x
Essex 60 0.51x
Sussex 59 0.59x
Buckinghamshire 55 1.54x
Norfolk 52 0.57x
Oxfordshire 45 1.23x
Kent 38 0.19x
Denbighshire 36 1.61x
Durham 35 0.20x
Bedfordshire 34 1.11x
Cambridgeshire 34 0.91x
Hertfordshire 32 0.78x
Wiltshire 29 0.55x
Huntingdonshire 26 2.21x
Berkshire 17 0.38x
Dorset 17 0.44x
Montgomeryshire 17 1.25x
Glamorgan 15 0.15x
Monmouthshire 15 0.35x
Northumberland 15 0.17x
Flintshire 14 0.88x
Somerset 13 0.14x
Royal Navy 10 1.42x
Renfrewshire 7 0.15x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.24x
Cumberland 6 0.12x
Midlothian 6 0.08x
West Lothian 5 0.56x
Suffolk 4 0.06x
Rutland 2 0.46x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.02x
Anglesey 1 0.10x
Ayrshire 1 0.02x
Brecknockshire 1 0.08x
Channel Islands 1 0.06x
Herefordshire 1 0.04x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x

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 125 Barratts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.51x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 125 2.51x
Oldham 109 4.80x
Leicester St Margaret 98 6.12x
Stockport 85 12.63x
Manchester 84 2.66x
Cheadle 79 31.62x
Wolverhampton 75 4.88x
Aston 70 1.70x
Pilkington 68 25.46x
Gnosall 58 120.13x
Burton Upon Trent 47 10.04x
Kensington London 44 1.34x
Lambeth 44 0.85x
Newton 43 7.93x
Wakefield 43 9.54x
Kettering 42 18.63x
Liverpool 42 0.98x
Islington London 41 0.71x
Brinnington 40 32.73x
Chapel En Le Frith 37 43.68x
Stoke Upon Trent 36 1.70x
Leeds 35 1.06x
Nottingham St Mary 35 1.69x
Sedgley 34 4.58x
West Bromwich 34 2.97x
Hulme 33 2.25x
Shoreditch London 33 1.28x
Walsall Foreign 33 3.19x
St Pancras London 32 0.67x
Ecclesall Bierlow 31 2.60x
Heaton Norris 30 7.50x
Ashton Under Lyne 29 1.89x
Brighton 29 1.44x
Derby St Werburgh 29 5.41x
Newcastle Under Lyme 28 7.91x
Paddington London 28 1.29x
Stourbridge 27 13.56x
Chelsea London 26 1.46x
Wednesfield 26 8.83x
Chorlton On Medlock 25 2.24x
Sutton Coldfield 25 15.91x
West Ham 25 0.97x
Winteringham 25 183.69x
Hucknall Torkard 24 11.85x
Nether Hallam 24 3.02x
Rotherhithe 24 3.28x
Alfreton 23 8.16x
Gorton 23 3.48x
Newark Upon Trent 23 8.01x
Northampton St Giles 23 10.83x
Pendleton In Salford 22 2.63x
Salford 22 1.06x
Gresford Gwersyllt 21 30.24x
Pontefract 21 16.60x
Rugby 21 10.39x
Smallwood 21 179.18x
Spalding 21 11.17x
St George In East London 21 3.77x
Cheetham 20 3.81x
Gwennap 20 15.80x
Ottery St Mary 20 24.72x
St George Hanover Square 20 1.92x
Whitgift 20 269.54x
Kingswinford 19 2.62x
Newington 19 0.87x
Northampton Priory St 19 5.68x
Oswestry Town 19 11.59x
Radford 19 4.68x
Spilsby 19 63.16x
St Martin Lincoln 19 21.61x
Stoke Prior 19 39.81x
Willenhall 19 5.07x
Wolstanton Knutton 19 15.56x
Bristol St George 18 3.35x
Burslem 18 3.14x
Fazeley 18 49.49x
Mile End Old Town London 18 1.43x
St Marylebone London 18 0.57x
Whittlesey St Mary St 18 13.73x
Oldbury 17 4.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 459
Sarah 241
Elizabeth 228
Ann 135
Jane 112
Eliza 110
Emma 99
Ellen 88
Annie 83
Alice 80
Martha 74
Hannah 72
Emily 54
Margaret 49
Florence 41
Edith 40
Clara 39
Charlotte 35
Maria 34
Ada 33
Catherine 33
Louisa 33
Harriet 30
Anne 26
Fanny 26
Caroline 25
Lucy 25
Kate 23
Rose 21
Bridget 19
Rebecca 19
Frances 17
Harriett 17
Eleanor 16
Esther 15
Susannah 15
Julia 14
Sophia 14
Susan 14
Amy 13
Ethel 13
Lydia 11
Matilda 11
Amelia 10
Beatrice 10
Betsy 10
Jessie 10
Minnie 10
Agnes 9
Isabella 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 409
William 347
George 228
James 212
Thomas 204
Henry 121
Joseph 107
Charles 96
Samuel 92
Edward 74
Alfred 65
Arthur 55
Frederick 52
Walter 48
Albert 47
Richard 44
Robert 44
Harry 32
Herbert 29
Benjamin 28
Ernest 26
Frank 23
Edwin 21
David 18
Wm. 18
Francis 15
Fred 15
Isaac 14
Thos. 13
Fredk. 12
Peter 12
Daniel 11
Matthew 11
Michael 10
Stephen 10
Patrick 9
Geo. 8
Jesse 8
Saml. 8
Frederic 7
Fredrick 7
Joshua 7
Percy 7
Sydney 7
Chas. 6
Eli 6
Elijah 6
Tom 6
Alexander 5
Edmund 5

FAQ

Barratt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barratt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,072 people were recorded with the Barratt surname. That placed it at #725 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barratt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,611 in 2016. That gives Barratt a modern rank of #878.

What does the Barratt surname mean?

A variant of the French surname Barrette, meaning from a minor fortified place.

What does the Barratt map show?

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