2000
#678
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 46,196
First available Census row
Per 100,000 17.12
Uncommon Last name
Barron
A noble surname derived from the Old French word "baron," meaning a landholding nobleman of high rank.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 56,300 Americans carry the last name Barron. That puts it at #679 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 16.43 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 6,088 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Barron surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Barron with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
56K
1 in 6,088
Census rank
#679
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
16.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
49K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 49,096 bearers of the surname Barron in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 16.43 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 679th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Barron, the largest self-reported group is White at 44.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (43.4%) and Black (8.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Barron
The surname Barron is believed to have originated in England and Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "baron," which means "nobleman" or "feudal lord." This title was given to individuals who held large estates and had significant power and influence within their respective regions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Barron can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document mentions several individuals with the surname, indicating its presence in England during the Norman era.
In Scotland, the name Barron was often associated with landed gentry and prominent families. One notable example is the Barrons of Kinnaird, a Scottish aristocratic family whose lineage can be traced back to the 12th century. Sir Walter Barron of Kinnaird (c. 1390-1455) was a prominent figure during the Wars of the Roses and served as a trusted advisor to King James I of Scotland.
Another notable figure with the surname Barron was Sir Andrew Barron (c. 1470-1551), a Scottish poet and diplomat who served as the ambassador to England during the reign of King James IV. His works, including the poem "The Lament for the Makaris," are considered important contributions to Scottish literature.
In England, the name Barron was also associated with various places and landmarks. For instance, the village of Barron's Green in Worcestershire is believed to have derived its name from a prominent family with the surname Barron who once owned land in the area.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Barron gained further prominence in both England and Scotland. One notable individual was Sir John Barron (1584-1670), an English courtier and politician who served as Treasurer of the Royal Navy under King Charles I.
Another significant figure was Robert Barron (1593-1639), a Scottish writer and philosopher who is best known for his work "The Metaphysical Deductions." His contributions to metaphysical thought and philosophy were highly regarded during his lifetime.
Throughout history, the surname Barron has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, clergy, scholars, and artists. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period, reflecting the significance and influence of those who bore this surname in the past.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Barron
Among Census respondents with the surname Barron, the largest self-reported group is White at 44.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (43.4%) and Black (8.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Barron bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Barron surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White44.8% · 21,975
- Hispanic or Latino43.4% · 21,302
- Black or African American8.2% · 4,047
- Two or more races2.4% · 1,177
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 398
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 197
Timeline
Historical Census data for Barron
Barron appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#656
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 52,070
+5,874 bearers (+12.7%)
Per 100,000 17.65
Rank movement Up 22 places
2020
#679
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 49,096
-2,974 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 16.43
Rank movement Down 23 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #678 | 46,196 | 17.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #656 | 52,070 | 17.65 | +5,874 bearers (+12.7%) | Up 22 places |
| 2020 | #679 | 49,096 | 16.43 | -2,974 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 23 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Barron surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #656 | #679 | -3.5% |
| Count | 52,070 | 49,096 | -5.7% |
| Per 100K | 17.65 | 16.43 | -6.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Barron bearers went from 52,070 to 49,096 (-5.7% change). The surname moved down 23 positions in the national ranking, going from #656 to #679.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Barron
FAQ
Barron surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Barron?
Name Census estimates that about 56,300 living Americans carry the surname Barron. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 6,088 residents.
How common is Barron?
Barron ranks #679 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 16.43 per 100,000 residents, which is about 16 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 49,096 people with the surname Barron. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (56,300), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 16.43 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 16.43 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 16 of them to have the surname Barron.
Has Barron become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Barron went from 52,070 recorded bearers to 49,096. That is a decrease of 2,974 (-5.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #656 to #679.
What does the Census say about the background of Barron?
Among Census respondents with the surname Barron, the largest self-reported group is White at 44.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (43.4%) and Black (8.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Barron in the 2020 Census, accounting for 44.8% (21,975 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Barron appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (44.8%), Hispanic (43.4%), Black (8.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Barron (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Barron mean?
A noble surname derived from the Old French word "baron," meaning a landholding nobleman of high rank. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Barron (16.43 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Barron?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.