NameCensus.

UK surname

Barwise

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "bare enclosure" or "untamed wood".

In the 1881 census there were 260 people recorded with the Barwise surname, ranking it #10,781 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 442, ranked #10,943, down from #10,781 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Bees, Dean and Holme Cultram. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barwise is 466 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.0%.

1881 census count

260

Ranked #10,781

Modern count

442

2016, ranked #10,943

Peak year

2010

466 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barwise had 260 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,781 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 442 in 2016, ranked #10,943.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 349 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Barwise surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barwise surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barwise 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 207 #10,148
1861 historical 194 #12,310
1881 historical 260 #10,781
1891 historical 314 #10,694
1901 historical 338 #10,709
1911 historical 349 #10,282
1997 modern 415 #10,709
1998 modern 434 #10,694
1999 modern 427 #10,919
2000 modern 418 #11,047
2001 modern 421 #10,789
2002 modern 437 #10,693
2003 modern 442 #10,434
2004 modern 433 #10,644
2005 modern 437 #10,437
2006 modern 432 #10,583
2007 modern 434 #10,639
2008 modern 431 #10,814
2009 modern 453 #10,611
2010 modern 466 #10,595
2011 modern 460 #10,594
2012 modern 444 #10,775
2013 modern 443 #10,968
2014 modern 449 #10,926
2015 modern 437 #11,077
2016 modern 442 #10,943

Geography

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Where Barwises are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Bees, Dean, Holme Cultram, Preston and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Copeland. 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 St Bees Cumberland
2 Dean Lancashire
3 Holme Cultram Cumberland
4 Preston Lancashire
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Copeland 007 Copeland
2 Copeland 002 Copeland
3 Copeland 004 Copeland
4 Copeland 003 Copeland
5 Copeland 005 Copeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barwise

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barwise

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

Barwise 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

Barwise 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 Barwise is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Barwise

The surname Barwise has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "bær" meaning "bare" or "barren" and "wise" meaning "meadow" or "pasture." This combination suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived or worked on a bare or uncultivated meadow.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Barwise can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and estates in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Barwis" and "Berewis," indicating its evolution over time.

In the 13th century, records show a John Barwise who was a landowner in Yorkshire, England. This suggests that the Barwise family had established itself as a prominent name in the region during this period.

During the 16th century, the name Barwise appeared in various parish records and historic documents across northern England, particularly in Lancashire and Yorkshire. One notable individual from this time was Thomas Barwise, a merchant and alderman in the city of York, who lived from 1520 to 1595.

Moving into the 17th century, the Barwise name gained further recognition with the birth of Samuel Barwise in 1619. He was an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of St John's College, Cambridge, from 1677 until his death in 1693.

Another prominent figure bearing the Barwise surname was John Barwise, who was born in 1623 and served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Stafford in the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Barwise family continued to make significant contributions, with individuals like Jonathan Barwise (1701-1785), a renowned mathematician and astronomer who worked at the University of Cambridge.

As the centuries progressed, the Barwise name appeared in various parts of the world, likely due to migration and the spread of the British Empire. However, its roots can be traced back to the northern regions of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it originated as a descriptive surname referring to a bare or uncultivated meadow.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barwise families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barwise 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. Cumberland leads with 115 Barwises recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.67x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 115 52.67x
Lancashire 105 3.49x
Middlesex 8 0.32x
Cheshire 7 1.25x
Worcestershire 5 1.51x
Northumberland 4 1.06x
Westmorland 3 5.38x
Durham 2 0.27x
Lanarkshire 2 0.24x
Leicestershire 2 0.71x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.62x
Hampshire 1 0.19x
Kent 1 0.12x
Staffordshire 1 0.12x
Surrey 1 0.08x
Sussex 1 0.23x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Farnworth in Lancashire leads with 22 Barwises recorded in 1881 and an index of 122.02x.

Place Total Index
Farnworth 22 122.02x
Liverpool 16 8.75x
Holme St Cuthbert 15 2307.69x
Preston 14 17.39x
Cockermouth 11 239.13x
Toxteth Park 11 10.79x
Beckermet St Bridget 9 1578.95x
Everton 9 9.38x
West Derby 9 10.22x
Whitehaven 9 77.32x
Bridekirk 7 402.30x
Dearham 6 208.33x
Kearsley 6 94.79x
Tonge With Haulgh 6 102.39x
Aspatria 5 238.10x
Blackburn 5 6.24x
Chester St Oswald 5 49.31x
Cleator 5 55.01x
Ellenborough Ewanrigg 5 331.13x
Hensingham 5 280.90x
Kings Norton 5 16.84x
Hackney London 4 2.81x
Holme Abbey 4 487.80x
Waverton 4 952.38x
Workington 4 32.00x
Arlecdon 3 51.64x
Flimby 3 163.04x
Hammersmith London 3 4.80x
Kirkdale 3 5.93x
Kirkland 3 252.10x
Wigton 3 91.74x
Caldewgate 2 16.72x
Crosscanonby 2 27.70x
Elswick 2 6.64x
Govan 2 0.99x
Leicester St Mary 2 8.80x
Moresby 2 240.96x
St Cuthbert W O 2 18.80x
Westgate 2 8.56x
Aikton 1 144.93x
Bishopwearmouth 1 1.54x
Brighton 1 1.16x
Bromfield 1 303.03x
Camberwell 1 0.62x
Castle Sowerby 1 208.33x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.09x
Darlington 1 3.43x
Distington 1 89.29x
Hampton London 1 23.98x
Handsworth 1 4.74x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 1 57.47x
Huntington 1 1000.00x
Middlesbrough W 1 769.23x
Newton Regny Catterlen 1 400.00x
Ousby 1 476.19x
Pemberton 1 8.33x
Penrith 1 12.39x
Portsea 1 0.98x
Ramsgate 1 7.08x
Scarborough 1 4.38x
St Cuthbert W O Carleton 1 166.67x
Walton On Hill 1 6.14x
Wigan 1 2.38x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 1 20.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Margaret 11
Elizabeth 10
Jane 9
Sarah 8
Ellen 7
Ann 6
Alice 5
Isabella 5
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Ruth 3
Anne 2
Bridget 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Harriet 2
Margt. 2
Ada 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Catalina 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Eveline 1
Harriett 1
Ida 1
Janet 1
Kate 1
Letitia 1
Louisa 1
Martha 1
Rachel 1
Sophia 1
Thomas 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 22
William 20
Thomas 17
Joseph 13
James 8
George 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Robert 3
Albert 2
Henry 2
Isaac 2
Robt. 2
Walter 2
Benjamin 1
Clement 1
Collin 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edward 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Jackson 1
Jeremiah 1
Luke 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Ostle 1
Percival 1
Peter 1
Richardson 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
W.R. 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Barwise surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barwise surname in 1881?

In 1881, 260 people were recorded with the Barwise surname. That placed it at #10,781 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barwise surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 442 in 2016. That gives Barwise a modern rank of #10,943.

What does the Barwise surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "bare enclosure" or "untamed wood".

What does the Barwise map show?

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