Origins of the Barrett surname

What does the name Barrett mean?

The Barrett surname originates in England. It's believed to be of Anglo-Norman stock, and be patronymic. It comes from those who are the son or descendant of someone with the given name 'Berold', 'Baret' or 'Berraud'. This was a popular Norman name, that can be found in the Domesday book of 1086.

Alternative variations of the name Barrett

Barrett, Barratt, Baratt, Barett, Baret

Start free trial
I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.
SS
Stuart
Trustpilot logoTrustpilot 5 stars
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Barretts.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Barrett family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 599North West 331Isle of Man 16Yorkshire 3046East Midlands 315West Midlands 609East 1557London 5522South East 2235South West 679South Wales 391Mid Wales 36West Wales 6North Wales 34Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Barretts lived in london

Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Barrett

How common is your surname?

171st most common surname in the UK

We have for the Barrett surname. The oldest one dates back to 1538.

Who were Barretts most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Barretts.

What are the most common Barrett first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Barrett family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Barretts

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common female occupations for Barretts in 1921

Dressmaker

791

Laundress

628

Domestic Servant

474

General Servant Domestic

469

Charwoman

404

Common male occupations for Barretts in 1921

Agricultural Labourer

1,011

General Labourer

803

Carpenter

638

Farm Labourer

581

Tailor

406

We found over 260,000 family trees with the Barrett surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Barretts.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Learn more about the lives of Barrett family members

Share your discoveries

Share to WhatsApp

Share to Facebook

Look for a different surname

Paper tear line

Find out more about your family in our records

    or try an advanced search