Explore the Family Name Barter

The meaning of Barter

1. English: unflattering nickname from Middle English baratour ‘brawler, wrangler; cheat, deceiver’ (Old French barateor, barateur). 2. Swiss German: occupational name for a maker of axes used by butchers and soldiers or knights, from Middle High German barte ‘axe’.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Barter in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Barter has slightly decreased in the United States. In 2000, it ranked 12,009 in terms of prevalence, but dropped to 13,203 in 2010, marking a decrease of nearly 10 percent. The number of individuals with this surname also experienced a slight decline from 2,387 in 2000 to 2,315 in 2010, indicating a fall of about 3 percent. Moreover, the proportion of individuals named Barter per 100,000 people also fell by approximately 11 percent during this decade.

20002010Change
Rank#12,009#13,203-9.94%
Count2,3872,315-3.02%
Proportion per 100k0.880.78-11.36%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Barter

In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the majority of individuals with the surname Barter identify as White, although this demographic experienced a slight decrease from 90.41 percent in 2000 to 88.08 percent in 2010. Those identifying as Black saw an increase from 5.70 percent in 2000 to 6.44 percent in 2010. There was significant growth within the Hispanic community, with an increase of 133.33 percent over the decade. Asian/Pacific Islanders and those identifying with two or more races represent smaller fractions of the Barter population, with distinct changes observed between 2000 and 2010; the former increased by 20 percent while the latter decreased by 32.08 percent. The proportion of American Indian and Alaskan Native declined slightly by 15.22 percent.

20002010Change
White90.41%88.08%-2.58%
Black5.7%6.44%12.98%
Hispanic1.59%3.71%133.33%
Two or More Races1.59%1.08%-32.08%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.46%0.39%-15.22%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.25%0.3%20%