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Origins of the Barrett surname

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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

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Where do most Barretts live?

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 Barretts

How common is your surname?

171st most common surname in the UK

We have 201,000 records for the Barrett surname. The oldest one dates back to 1538.

Who were Barretts most likely to marry?

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Barretts.

What are the most common Barrett first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Barrett family members

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

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Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

We found over 240,000 family trees with the Barrett surname

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