Explore the Family Name Barre
The meaning of Barre
1. French: topographic name for someone who lived by a gateway or barrier, or in a house encircled by a fence, from Old French barre ‘bar, obstruction’ (of obscure origin, possibly akin to the Celtic element barr ‘height’); or a habitational name from any of various places called with this word, e.g. Barre-en-Ouche in Eure or Barre-de-Semilly in Manche. Compare Labarre. 2. French: probably also a habitational name from Barre in Lozère, named with the Celtic element barr ‘height’. 3. French (Barré): from Old French barré ‘striped’, referring to a habitual wearer of striped clothing or probably of a piece of striped cloth worn around the helmet for identification in battle. In the Middle Ages the term was also applied to the Carmelite Friars, who wore habits striped in black, yellow, and white, and it may have been used as a nickname for someone thought to resemble a Carmelite in some way. This surname is also found in Germany, attested as a Huguenot name, for example in Magdeburg in 1703. Compare Barry 7 and Bora 4. 4. French (Barré): possibly also a habitational name from (Le) Barré, the name of several places mainly in the northern part of France. 5. English: variant of Barr. 6. Somali: from the personal name Barre, meaning ‘teacher’. — Note: Since Somalis traditionally do not have hereditary surnames, this name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US. History: Louis-Jean Barré from Oise in Picardy, France, is recorded in Chambly, QC, in 1722, when he married Marie-Josèphe Bessette. His descendants also bear altered forms of the surname, such as Barry and Bora. — The surname Barre of French origin is listed in the (US) National Huguenot Society’s register of qualified Huguenot ancestors and also in the similar register of the Huguenot Society of America. Some characteristic forenames: French Anatole, Emile, Pierre, Alphonse, Andre, Cecile, Henri, Herve, Jacques, Marcel, Regean, Yves.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Barre in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Barre saw a significant rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 15,809th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had climbed to the 13,727th spot, marking an overall change of 13.17 percent. Moreover, the number of individuals with the Barre surname also increased over this decade from 1,691 to 2,205, a growth of 30.4 percent. Consequently, the proportion of people named Barre per 100,000 also rose by 19.05 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,809 | #13,727 | 13.17% |
| Count | 1,691 | 2,205 | 30.4% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.63 | 0.75 | 19.05% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Barre
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some fascinating shifts in the demographics associated with the Barre surname between 2000 and 2010. While the majority remained predominantly white, dropping slightly from 74.45 to 63.58 percent, there were substantial increases in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Black. The former group increased from 0.83 to 2.63 percent, reflecting a change of 216.87 percent, while the latter grew from 17.86 to 26.89 percent, marking a 50.56 percent change. Interestingly, there was also a jump in those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native (from 0.35 to 0.73 percent) and Hispanic (from 3.49 to 4.13 percent). However, those identifying with two or more races decreased from 3.02 to 2.04 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 74.45% | 63.58% | -14.6% |
| Black | 17.86% | 26.89% | 50.56% |
| Hispanic | 3.49% | 4.13% | 18.34% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.83% | 2.63% | 216.87% |
| Two or More Races | 3.02% | 2.04% | -32.45% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.35% | 0.73% | 108.57% |