Explore the Family Name Barnaby
The meaning of Barnaby
English: 1. from the Middle English vernacular form of the Greek and Latin personal name Barnabas, which was borne by the companion of St. Paul (Acts 4:36). This is of Aramaic origin, from Aramaic bar naḅyā ‘son of the prophet’, although the Greek text of Acts 4:36 explains the name as hyios paraklēseōs ‘son of consolation’ or ‘encouragement’. 2. habitational name from any of the four places: Barnaby in North Yorkshire, Barnetby le Wold or Barnoldby le Beck (both in Lincolnshire), or Barnby in Suffolk. Barnaby in North Yorkshire is named with the Old English personal name Beornwald (composed of the elements beorn ‘young warrior’ + wald ‘rule’) + Old Norse bȳ ‘settlement, farmstead’. Barnby in Suffolk is named with Old Norse barn ‘child, offspring’ + bȳ meaning ‘children’s farm’, perhaps for an estate divided by heirs.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Barnaby in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Barnaby has seen a slight increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 13,931st in popularity but moved up to the 13,283rd spot in 2010, marking a rank change of 4.65%. The count of individuals with the Barnaby surname also grew by 15.61%, from 1,986 in 2000 to 2,296 in 2010. Proportionally, for every 100,000 people, there were 0.74 individuals named Barnaby in 2000, increasing to 0.78 in 2010, showing a rise of 5.41% in its proportionate presence.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,931 | #13,283 | 4.65% |
| Count | 1,986 | 2,296 | 15.61% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.74 | 0.78 | 5.41% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Barnaby
The data from the Decennial U.S. Census also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the Barnaby surname. From 2000 to 2010, there was a notable increase in the percentage of people identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic and Black carrying the Barnaby surname, with changes of 62.50%, 55.60%, and 32.66% respectively. In contrast, the proportions of those identifying as White and American Indian and Alaskan Native saw decreases of -7.93% and -20.56% respectively. Meanwhile, those identifying as belonging to two or more races saw a modest increase of 5.21% during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 75.03% | 69.08% | -7.93% |
| Black | 15.86% | 21.04% | 32.66% |
| Hispanic | 2.32% | 3.61% | 55.6% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 4.28% | 3.4% | -20.56% |
| Two or More Races | 2.11% | 2.22% | 5.21% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.4% | 0.65% | 62.5% |