UK surname
A surname derived from an occupational term referring to a feudal servant or officer of a baron.
In the 1881 census there were 120 people recorded with the Barrons surname, ranking it #17,756 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 70, ranked #33,700, down from #17,756 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Calverley, Warkworth and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barrons is 229 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 41.7%.
1881 census count
120
Ranked #17,756
Modern count
70
2016, ranked #33,700
Peak year
1891
229 bearers
Map years
4
1861 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Barrons surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Barrons surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 84 | #19,067 |
| 1861 | historical | 147 | #15,539 |
| 1881 | historical | 120 | #17,756 |
| 1891 | historical | 229 | #13,539 |
| 1901 | historical | 116 | #20,933 |
| 1911 | historical | 68 | #26,050 |
| 1997 | modern | 75 | #30,109 |
| 1998 | modern | 74 | #30,562 |
| 1999 | modern | 75 | #30,661 |
| 2000 | modern | 79 | #30,249 |
| 2001 | modern | 76 | #30,366 |
| 2002 | modern | 81 | #30,294 |
| 2003 | modern | 80 | #30,425 |
| 2004 | modern | 74 | #31,306 |
| 2005 | modern | 76 | #31,267 |
| 2006 | modern | 73 | #31,954 |
| 2007 | modern | 70 | #32,580 |
| 2008 | modern | 69 | #32,962 |
| 2009 | modern | 70 | #33,182 |
| 2010 | modern | 74 | #33,167 |
| 2011 | modern | 73 | #33,230 |
| 2012 | modern | 73 | #33,431 |
| 2013 | modern | 69 | #33,808 |
| 2014 | modern | 74 | #33,531 |
| 2015 | modern | 72 | #33,595 |
| 2016 | modern | 70 | #33,700 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Calverley, Warkworth, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, West Calder and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calverley | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 2 | Warkworth | Northumberland |
| 3 | Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard | Nottinghamshire |
| 4 | West Calder | Edinburgh |
| 5 | Bradford | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Barrons surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Barrons, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Barrons surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Barrons household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Barrons is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Barrons is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Barrons, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Barrons originated in Scotland and England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word 'baron', which itself comes from the Latin 'baro', meaning a man or servant. In medieval times, a baron was a member of the nobility ranking below a viscount.
The name Barrons was initially used as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who held the rank of baron or worked in service to a baron. It could also have been used as a nickname for someone with a haughty or authoritative manner. The earliest known record of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which records a landowner named Robert Barus in Nottinghamshire, England.
By the 13th century, the name had spread across England and Scotland. In the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland from 1230, a man named Henry Baroun is mentioned. In the Scottish Exchequer Rolls of 1264, a Robert Barone is recorded as a landowner in Fife.
The name has been spelled in various ways throughout history, including Baroun, Barone, Baron, and Barron, before the modern spelling of Barrons became standardized. Several notable individuals have borne this surname, such as Sir John Barrons (c.1570-1642), an English politician and landowner from Staffordshire.
Another notable figure was William Barrons (1605-1678), an English clergyman and writer who served as the Bishop of Carlisle. In Scotland, John Barrons (1693-1760) was a prominent merchant and landowner in Renfrewshire.
In the 19th century, Charles Barrons (1826-1905) was a notable American businessman and philanthropist from Massachusetts. He made his fortune in the textile industry and donated generously to educational institutions.
Lastly, Dorothy Barrons (1894-1982) was a British author and journalist, best known for her novels and short stories set in the English countryside.
While the name Barrons has its roots in the medieval nobility and service classes, it has since become a widespread surname found across many English-speaking countries. Its history reflects the social and economic changes that have taken place over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barrons surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Northumberland leads with 23 Barrons' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.43x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Northumberland | 23 | 13.43x |
| Midlothian | 17 | 11.02x |
| Yorkshire | 17 | 1.49x |
| Surrey | 14 | 2.50x |
| Devon | 13 | 5.43x |
| Lancashire | 6 | 0.44x |
| Lanarkshire | 5 | 1.34x |
| Warwickshire | 5 | 1.72x |
| Shetland | 4 | 34.01x |
| Cornwall | 3 | 2.30x |
| Hampshire | 3 | 1.27x |
| Cambridgeshire | 2 | 2.74x |
| Durham | 2 | 0.58x |
| Fife | 2 | 2.94x |
| Angus | 1 | 0.94x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 0.39x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Calder in Midlothian leads with 16 Barrons' recorded in 1881 and an index of 526.32x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| West Calder | 16 | 526.32x |
| Calverley Cum Farsley | 10 | 308.64x |
| Wallsend | 10 | 184.16x |
| Belsay | 8 | 5333.33x |
| Camberwell | 7 | 9.52x |
| Tiverton | 7 | 169.49x |
| Bradford | 6 | 21.73x |
| Croydon | 6 | 19.27x |
| Oldham | 6 | 13.61x |
| Aston | 4 | 5.00x |
| Bothwell | 4 | 39.60x |
| Sandsting Aitsting | 4 | 373.83x |
| Prestwick | 3 | 4285.71x |
| Abbotshall | 2 | 78.43x |
| Boldon | 2 | 163.93x |
| Cowpen | 2 | 50.76x |
| Dullingham | 2 | 606.06x |
| Plymouth Charles The | 2 | 18.94x |
| Portsea | 2 | 4.33x |
| Rattery | 2 | 1250.00x |
| St Stephens By Saltash | 2 | 357.14x |
| Barony | 1 | 1.06x |
| Chobham | 1 | 101.01x |
| Duloe | 1 | 263.16x |
| Dundee | 1 | 2.51x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 1 | 1.61x |
| Leftwich | 1 | 88.50x |
| Manningham | 1 | 7.12x |
| Nuneaton | 1 | 29.76x |
| Plympton St Mary | 1 | 72.46x |
| Portsmouth | 1 | 18.42x |
| Stoke Damerel | 1 | 5.96x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Barrons surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 5 |
| Ann | 3 |
| Emma | 3 |
| Jane | 3 |
| Agnes | 2 |
| Edith | 2 |
| Elizabeth | 2 |
| Ellen | 2 |
| Hannah | 2 |
| Isabella | 2 |
| Kate | 2 |
| Sarah | 2 |
| Alfreda | 1 |
| Alma | 1 |
| Annabell | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| E.Jane | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Frances | 1 |
| Georgina | 1 |
| Grace | 1 |
| Harriet | 1 |
| Harriett | 1 |
| Infant | 1 |
| Julia | 1 |
| Lizzie | 1 |
| Mabel | 1 |
| Miriam | 1 |
| Nellie | 1 |
| Peggy | 1 |
| Rose | 1 |
| Selina | 1 |
| Susannah | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Barrons surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Barrons households.
FAQ
In 1881, 120 people were recorded with the Barrons surname. That placed it at #17,756 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 70 in 2016. That gives Barrons a modern rank of #33,700.
A surname derived from an occupational term referring to a feudal servant or officer of a baron.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Barrons bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.