UK surname
A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "barley hill" in Old English.
In the 1881 census there were 15 people recorded with the Bartow surname, ranking it #31,451 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1, ranked #39,061, down from #31,451 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, Manchester and Tendring. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bartow is 217 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 93.3%.
1881 census count
15
Ranked #31,451
Modern count
1
2016, ranked #39,061
Peak year
1891
217 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Bartow surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Bartow surname density by area, 1891 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 | 41 | #25,926 |
| 1861 | historical | 199 | #12,062 |
| 1881 | historical | 15 | #31,451 |
| 1891 | historical | 217 | #14,062 |
| 1901 | historical | 86 | #24,508 |
| 1911 | historical | 68 | #26,050 |
| 1997 | modern | 6 | #37,704 |
| 1998 | modern | 7 | #37,533 |
| 1999 | modern | 7 | #37,513 |
| 2000 | modern | 7 | #37,430 |
| 2001 | modern | 3 | #38,091 |
| 2002 | modern | 4 | #37,921 |
| 2003 | modern | 5 | #37,750 |
| 2004 | modern | 4 | #38,013 |
| 2005 | modern | 5 | #37,885 |
| 2006 | modern | 3 | #38,334 |
| 2007 | modern | 3 | #38,372 |
| 2008 | modern | 3 | #38,396 |
| 2009 | modern | 3 | #38,494 |
| 2010 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2011 | modern | 2 | #38,745 |
| 2012 | modern | 2 | #38,754 |
| 2013 | modern | 1 | #39,008 |
| 2014 | modern | 2 | #38,791 |
| 2015 | modern | 2 | #38,793 |
| 2016 | modern | 1 | #39,061 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, Manchester, Tendring, Liverpool 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 | St George in the East | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 3 | Tendring | Essex |
| 4 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| 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 Bartow 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 Bartow, 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 Bartow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Bartow 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, Bartow 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 Bartow is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Bartow, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Bartow has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bær" meaning "bear" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." This suggests that the name may have referred to a settlement or enclosure where bears were found or kept.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. One of the earliest documented references is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1332, where a person named John de Barton is mentioned.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings such as Bartun, Barton, and Berton, reflecting the phonetic variations common during that time. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 mention a Richard de Barton, while the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379 lists a John Barton.
The name Bartow is also associated with several place names in England, including Barton-upon-Humber in Lincolnshire, Barton Bendish in Norfolk, and Barton-le-Clay in Bedfordshire. These place names may have influenced the surname's development or vice versa.
Some notable individuals bearing the Bartow surname throughout history include:
1. John Bartow (c. 1570 - 1646), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Cheshunt in Hertfordshire. 2. Thomas Bartow (1609 - 1683), an English-born settler in colonial America who established a plantation on Long Island, New York. 3. William Bartow (1701 - 1786), a colonial American politician and judge who served as a member of the New York Provincial Assembly. 4. Nathaniel Bartow (1725 - 1808), an American military officer who fought in the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War. 5. John Bartow (1735 - 1805), an American politician and lawyer who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress.
The Bartow surname has a rich history, with its roots dating back to medieval England and its association with various place names and notable individuals throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bartow 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. Middlesex leads with 4 Bartows recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.74x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 4 | 2.74x |
| Worcestershire | 3 | 15.72x |
| Yorkshire | 3 | 2.07x |
| Northumberland | 2 | 9.20x |
| Cambridgeshire | 1 | 10.81x |
| Devon | 1 | 3.29x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 2.03x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St George In East London in Middlesex leads with 4 Bartows recorded in 1881 and an index of 291.97x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| St George In East London | 4 | 291.97x |
| Kings Norton | 3 | 175.44x |
| Middleton In Hunslet | 3 | 15000.00x |
| Chirton | 2 | 408.16x |
| Aldridge | 1 | 1111.11x |
| Compton Gifford | 1 | 1000.00x |
| Ely Holy Trinity St Mary | 1 | 250.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bartow surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bartow 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 Bartow households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Potatoe Salesman | 2 |
| Foreman (Manager) | 1 |
| Governess Mistress | 1 |
| Mariner | 1 |
| Monumentalist (Mason) (Stone) | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
| Tinsmith | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 15 people were recorded with the Bartow surname. That placed it at #31,451 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 1 in 2016. That gives Bartow a modern rank of #39,061.
A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "barley hill" in Old English.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bartow 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.