NameCensus.

UK surname

Barron

A noble surname derived from the Old French word "baron," meaning a landholding nobleman of high rank.

In the 1881 census there were 4,620 people recorded with the Barron surname, ranking it #968 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,205, ranked #928, up from #968 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Macduff, West Lancashire and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barron is 7,526 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.0%.

1881 census count

4,620

Ranked #968

Modern count

7,205

2016, ranked #928

Peak year

1999

7,526 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barron had 4,620 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #968 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,205 in 2016, ranked #928.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,746 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Barron surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barron surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barron 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 2,895 #1,002
1861 historical 2,795 #1,045
1881 historical 4,620 #968
1891 historical 4,621 #1,013
1901 historical 5,746 #969
1911 historical 4,615 #1,122
1997 modern 7,205 #898
1998 modern 7,494 #898
1999 modern 7,526 #901
2000 modern 7,424 #909
2001 modern 7,232 #912
2002 modern 7,430 #904
2003 modern 7,295 #899
2004 modern 7,312 #896
2005 modern 7,142 #909
2006 modern 7,144 #907
2007 modern 7,137 #917
2008 modern 7,114 #926
2009 modern 7,289 #925
2010 modern 7,453 #923
2011 modern 7,328 #923
2012 modern 7,184 #920
2013 modern 7,280 #927
2014 modern 7,364 #920
2015 modern 7,290 #921
2016 modern 7,205 #928

Geography

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Where Barrons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Nairn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Macduff, West Lancashire, County Durham, Banff and Turriff. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Nairn Nairn

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Macduff Aberdeenshire
2 West Lancashire 001 West Lancashire
3 County Durham 020 County Durham
4 Banff Aberdeenshire
5 Turriff Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barron

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barron

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Barron, 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 Barron surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Barron 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, Barron 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

Barron 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

Barron falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Barron

The surname Barron is believed to have originated in England and Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "baron," which means "nobleman" or "feudal lord." This title was given to individuals who held large estates and had significant power and influence within their respective regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Barron can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document mentions several individuals with the surname, indicating its presence in England during the Norman era.

In Scotland, the name Barron was often associated with landed gentry and prominent families. One notable example is the Barrons of Kinnaird, a Scottish aristocratic family whose lineage can be traced back to the 12th century. Sir Walter Barron of Kinnaird (c. 1390-1455) was a prominent figure during the Wars of the Roses and served as a trusted advisor to King James I of Scotland.

Another notable figure with the surname Barron was Sir Andrew Barron (c. 1470-1551), a Scottish poet and diplomat who served as the ambassador to England during the reign of King James IV. His works, including the poem "The Lament for the Makaris," are considered important contributions to Scottish literature.

In England, the name Barron was also associated with various places and landmarks. For instance, the village of Barron's Green in Worcestershire is believed to have derived its name from a prominent family with the surname Barron who once owned land in the area.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Barron gained further prominence in both England and Scotland. One notable individual was Sir John Barron (1584-1670), an English courtier and politician who served as Treasurer of the Royal Navy under King Charles I.

Another significant figure was Robert Barron (1593-1639), a Scottish writer and philosopher who is best known for his work "The Metaphysical Deductions." His contributions to metaphysical thought and philosophy were highly regarded during his lifetime.

Throughout history, the surname Barron has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, clergy, scholars, and artists. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period, reflecting the significance and influence of those who bore this surname in the past.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barron families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barron 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. Yorkshire leads with 701 Barrons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.56x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 701 1.56x
Durham 545 4.05x
Aberdeenshire 528 12.60x
Lancashire 430 0.80x
Middlesex 316 0.70x
Northumberland 201 2.99x
Banffshire 149 15.88x
Surrey 124 0.56x
Northamptonshire 117 2.75x
Lanarkshire 114 0.78x
Nairnshire 94 68.08x
Lincolnshire 91 1.26x
Morayshire 89 12.66x
Hampshire 87 0.94x
Midlothian 81 1.34x
Inverness-shire 74 5.48x
Angus 68 1.62x
Kent 56 0.36x
Cumberland 50 1.28x
Cornwall 47 0.92x
Staffordshire 42 0.28x
Glamorgan 40 0.51x
Cambridgeshire 38 1.33x
Essex 37 0.41x
Cheshire 31 0.31x
Isle of Man 30 3.57x
Fife 27 1.01x
Berwickshire 25 4.56x
Derbyshire 25 0.35x
Stirlingshire 25 1.50x
Hertfordshire 24 0.77x
Warwickshire 23 0.20x
Leicestershire 22 0.44x
Worcestershire 21 0.36x
Sussex 20 0.26x
Kincardineshire 19 3.45x
Norfolk 15 0.22x
Renfrewshire 15 0.43x
Devon 14 0.15x
Selkirkshire 14 3.42x
Shetland 14 3.03x
Orkney 12 2.41x
Monmouthshire 11 0.34x
Ayrshire 10 0.30x
Dunbartonshire 9 0.74x
Gloucestershire 8 0.09x
Roxburghshire 8 0.98x
Shropshire 8 0.20x
Berkshire 7 0.21x
Oxfordshire 7 0.25x
West Lothian 7 1.03x
Wigtownshire 7 1.17x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.10x
Bedfordshire 5 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.18x
Perthshire 5 0.25x
Somerset 5 0.07x
Suffolk 4 0.07x
Denbighshire 3 0.18x
Dorset 3 0.10x
Royal Navy 3 0.56x
Argyllshire 2 0.16x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.11x
Channel Islands 2 0.15x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.20x
East Lothian 2 0.33x
Flintshire 2 0.16x
Herefordshire 2 0.11x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.31x
Merionethshire 2 0.24x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.11x
Westmorland 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 141 Barrons recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.12x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 141 16.12x
Nairn 93 111.01x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 74 9.44x
Tarleton 48 162.66x
Wellingborough 47 21.97x
Barony 46 1.24x
Mexborough 46 51.70x
Bishopwearmouth 44 3.81x
Govan 43 1.19x
Islington London 42 0.96x
Morley 42 18.02x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 40 1.64x
Inverness 39 11.48x
New Deer 33 43.51x
Skircoat 33 18.67x
Turriff 33 48.80x
Shoreditch London 32 1.63x
Calverley Cum Farsley 31 24.36x
Middlesbrough 29 4.97x
Hackney London 28 1.10x
Sheffield 28 1.96x
Westoe 28 3.67x
Portsea 26 1.43x
Stockton On Tees 26 4.01x
Udny 26 102.40x
West Herrington 26 55.14x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 25 4.29x
Holy Trinity 25 2.32x
Bethnal Green London 23 1.17x
Gamrie 22 21.00x
Kensington London 22 0.87x
Northampton Priory St 22 8.62x
Rathven 21 11.91x
Gateshead 20 1.99x
Little Bolton 20 2.90x
West Derby 20 1.27x
Huntly 19 27.88x
Peterborough 19 6.17x
St Austell 19 10.85x
Conside Knitsley 18 17.20x
Portsmouth 18 8.43x
Bradleys Both 17 213.57x
Hessle In Sculcoates 17 42.95x
Iveston 17 27.42x
Keith 17 17.00x
Liverpool 17 0.52x
Meldrum 17 48.17x
Mevagissey 17 49.96x
Paddington London 17 1.02x
Wallbottle 17 118.96x
Barkisland 16 49.16x
Battersea 16 0.96x
Birmingham 16 0.42x
Broughton In Salford 16 3.26x
Darlington 16 3.08x
Elgin 16 11.70x
Shildon 16 14.80x
Toxteth Park 16 0.88x
Dundee 15 0.96x
Dyce 15 83.10x
Forres 15 20.31x
Hexham 15 14.40x
Hornsey 15 2.62x
Leeds 15 0.59x
Mile End Old Town London 15 1.56x
Prescot 15 15.45x
St Pancras London 15 0.41x
West Rainton 15 36.01x
Wolsingham 15 12.23x
Bingley 14 4.90x
Brandon Byshottles 14 8.30x
Echt 14 69.38x
Everton 14 0.82x
Great Bolton 14 1.97x
Ladykirk 14 206.49x
Rothiemay 14 65.82x
St Marylebone London 14 0.58x
Southampton All Sts 13 8.17x
Swansea Lower 13 32.37x
West Greenock 13 2.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 237
William 209
Thomas 128
George 92
James 77
Robert 70
Joseph 64
Henry 57
Charles 50
Edward 39
Richard 27
Alfred 26
Walter 26
Samuel 22
Arthur 21
Albert 17
David 17
Frederick 16
Matthew 15
Daniel 13
Francis 13
Thos. 13
Harry 12
Wm. 12
Benjamin 11
Edwin 11
Herbert 11
Ernest 9
Ralph 9
Frank 8
Fred 8
Michael 8
Peter 8
Alexander 7
Patrick 7
Miles 6
Robson 6
Tom 6
Geo. 5
Percy 5
Cooper 4
Henery 4
Isaac 4
Jno. 4
Mathew 4
Stephen 4
Andrew 3
Joshua 3
Sam 3
Sidney 3

FAQ

Barron surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barron surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,620 people were recorded with the Barron surname. That placed it at #968 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barron surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,205 in 2016. That gives Barron a modern rank of #928.

What does the Barron surname mean?

A noble surname derived from the Old French word "baron," meaning a landholding nobleman of high rank.

What does the Barron map show?

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