NameCensus.

UK surname

Barrowman

A metonymic occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of barrows (hand carts).

In the 1881 census there were 413 people recorded with the Barrowman surname, ranking it #7,794 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 605, ranked #8,661, down from #7,794 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Borrowstounness and Carriden and Rutherglen. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ06, Westend and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barrowman is 607 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.5%.

1881 census count

413

Ranked #7,794

Modern count

605

2016, ranked #8,661

Peak year

2010

607 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barrowman had 413 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,794 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 605 in 2016, ranked #8,661.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 476 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Barrowman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barrowman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barrowman 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 218 #9,754
1861 historical 255 #9,699
1881 historical 413 #7,794
1891 historical 404 #8,802
1901 historical 476 #8,356
1911 historical 45 #28,332
1997 modern 520 #9,043
1998 modern 548 #8,960
1999 modern 553 #8,945
2000 modern 541 #9,070
2001 modern 524 #9,141
2002 modern 540 #9,103
2003 modern 526 #9,151
2004 modern 521 #9,235
2005 modern 513 #9,276
2006 modern 538 #8,969
2007 modern 563 #8,739
2008 modern 564 #8,792
2009 modern 589 #8,713
2010 modern 607 #8,710
2011 modern 587 #8,837
2012 modern 565 #8,993
2013 modern 578 #8,981
2014 modern 587 #8,948
2015 modern 592 #8,815
2016 modern 605 #8,661

Geography

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Where Barrowmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Borrowstounness and Carriden, Rutherglen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ06, Westend, St. Helens, Blackburn and Coventry. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 Borrowstounness and Carriden Linlithgow
3 Rutherglen Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ06 West Dunbartonshire
2 Westend Dundee City
3 St. Helens 015 St. Helens
4 Blackburn West Lothian
5 Coventry 001 Coventry

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barrowman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barrowman

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Barrowman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Barrowman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Barrowman is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Barrowman is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Barrowman 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 Barrowman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Barrowman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Barrowman

The surname Barrowman is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "beorg" or "bearu," meaning hill or grove, and "mann," meaning man or person. It is believed to have originated in the 11th century, initially referring to someone who lived near a hill or grove.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Barrowman can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Baruman" in the county of Yorkshire. This historical record suggests that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest of England.

During the Middle Ages, the name Barrowman was predominantly found in northern England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lancashire. Several variations of the spelling existed, including Baryman, Barroweman, and Baruman, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic evolution of the time.

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the name was John Barrowman, a prominent merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, born in 1532. He was known for his extensive trade dealings and his involvement in local politics.

Another significant figure in the history of the Barrowman name was Robert Barrowman, a Scottish minister and theologian born in 1639. He played a crucial role in the Presbyterian movement in Scotland and was a vocal advocate for religious reform.

During the 18th century, the Barrowman family gained prominence in the military. Captain William Barrowman, born in 1712, was a highly decorated officer in the British Army who served in the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.

In the literary world, the name Barrowman is associated with the Scottish poet and writer, John Barrowman, who was born in 1799 and gained recognition for his works exploring the struggles of the working class in the industrial era.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Barrowman, a British engineer and industrialist born in 1845. He made significant contributions to the development of steam engines and played a pivotal role in the advancement of the railway industry in the United Kingdom.

As the centuries passed, the Barrowman surname continued to spread across various regions, with many individuals making their mark in various fields, including academia, politics, and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barrowman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barrowman 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 207 Barrowmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.93x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 207 15.93x
Ayrshire 39 12.97x
Middlesex 27 0.67x
Stirlingshire 22 14.84x
West Lothian 22 36.35x
Kirkcudbrightshire 18 30.94x
Midlothian 16 2.97x
Renfrewshire 16 5.14x
Clackmannanshire 5 15.06x
Dumfriesshire 5 5.63x
Fife 5 2.10x
Kent 5 0.36x
Durham 4 0.33x
Perthshire 4 2.22x
Roxburghshire 4 5.49x
Angus 3 0.81x
Northumberland 3 0.50x
Surrey 2 0.10x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.93x
East Lothian 1 1.88x
Lancashire 1 0.02x
Leicestershire 1 0.22x
Peeblesshire 1 5.29x

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 53 Barrowmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.11x.

Place Total Index
Barony 53 16.11x
Hamilton 22 60.69x
Rutherglen 20 104.88x
Kilsyth 19 201.06x
Shettleston 19 163.23x
Boness 18 215.83x
Kirkcudbright 17 353.43x
Old Monkland 17 32.96x
Govan 14 4.36x
New Monkland 14 36.44x
Cambuslang 13 99.24x
Shotts 13 83.60x
Riccarton 12 264.32x
Islington London 11 2.82x
Lochwinnoch 9 193.97x
Bothwell 8 22.70x
Auckinleck 7 75.19x
Dreghorn 7 128.44x
Lasswade 7 56.86x
Maryhill 7 27.52x
Old Cumnock 7 104.48x
Kensington London 6 2.69x
Abbey 5 10.52x
Glencairn 5 209.21x
Tillicoultry 5 67.75x
Ayr 4 28.17x
Cavers 4 219.78x
Chilton 4 107.24x
Glasgow 4 1.73x
Inveresk 4 27.43x
Poplar London 4 5.27x
St Pancras London 4 1.24x
Bathgate 3 22.83x
Blackford 3 135.75x
Dundee 3 2.16x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 8.40x
Woolwich 3 5.92x
Battersea 2 1.35x
Cambusnethan 2 6.93x
Edinburgh Canongate 2 14.60x
Paisley High Church 2 8.06x
Plumstead 2 4.38x
Saline 2 151.52x
St Ninians 2 13.61x
Abbotshall 1 11.25x
Colinton 1 16.67x
Dalziel 1 7.15x
Drumelzier 1 344.83x
Duddingston 1 9.25x
Dunfermline 1 2.73x
Dysart 1 6.24x
Falkirk 1 2.88x
Kilmarnock 1 2.79x
Kirkintilloch 1 6.82x
Leicester St Margaret 1 0.92x
Liverpool 1 0.35x
Paddington London 1 0.68x
Perth East Church 1 5.88x
Rerrick 1 40.00x
Riccarton Hurlford 1 18.94x
Salton 1 126.58x
South Leith 1 1.65x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.41x
Whitburn 1 11.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Margaret 2
Ann 1
Bessie 1
Blanche 1
Christinia 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eveline 1
Florence 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Jenny 1
Mary 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

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 Barrowman households.

FAQ

Barrowman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barrowman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 413 people were recorded with the Barrowman surname. That placed it at #7,794 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barrowman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 605 in 2016. That gives Barrowman a modern rank of #8,661.

What does the Barrowman surname mean?

A metonymic occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of barrows (hand carts).

What does the Barrowman map show?

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