The Barnard surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 20,366 people carried this name — #1,760 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 14,500 people counted. That is up 4% from 19,517 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Barnard surname

A surname transferred from the given name.

English, Dutch, and French surname, variant of Bernard. This sense is also found in Slavic borrowings (Polish, Slovenian, Czech). Also Americanized from German Bernhard, Bernhardt, of the same meaning.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Barnard» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Bernard’.

His entry covers Barnard, Barnett and Barnet.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 79 · public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 109 people named Barnard live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Córdoba.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Córdoba 109

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 29 people named Barnard.

Most of them — 18 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 5 départements, most often Drôme.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 18
Drôme 3
Loire-Atlantique 3
Paris 3
Pyrénées-Atlantiques 1
Savoie 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

28 people named Barnard live in Switzerland.

They live in 4 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Zurich 13
Bern 8
Nidwalden 4
Zug 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

48 people named Barnard is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 48

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Barnard was found among the farmers of 5 counties.

It was most frequent in Essex: 48 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 208. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Essex 48
Norfolk 17
Somerset 15
Bedfordshire 12
Lincolnshire 7

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

251 families named Barnard, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 1,446 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 15 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 85
Pennsylvania 36
New York 33
Connecticut 22
New Hampshire 18
North Carolina 18
Maryland 13
Vermont 12
Virginia 7
Maine 4
South Carolina 3

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 228 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Barnard in American newspapers,
1878–1921.

Newspaper page from The Ouachita Telegraph carrying the name Barnard
The Ouachita Telegraph 1878-06-28
Newspaper page from The Herald And News carrying the name Barnard
The Herald And News 1904-06-03
Newspaper page from The Tabor Independent carrying the name Barnard
The Tabor Independent 1921-10-27

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 10,169 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Barnard in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.

84,200 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Barnard. The most, 13,996, date from the 1940s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Tasmania, at 3.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Tasmania 19,541
Victoria 17,357
New South Wales 14,639
South Australia 12,932
Queensland 9,377
Western Australia 7,087
ACT (Canberra) 2,626
Northern Territory 55

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Barnard.

Who carried it

People named Barnard,
with a public archive behind them.

  • James Orme Barnard d. 1913 · architect
  • George Barnard d. 1974 · deputy mayor
  • Chris Barnard d. 2008 · executioner
  • Walter Barnard d. 1655
  • Lucy Marion Barnard d. 1922
  • Louisa Barnard d. 1914

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Barnard,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,992 records

1,992 records of the Barnard name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 664
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 430
  • Other U.S. records 898
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Gilbert E. Barnard

    Born 1931; from New York, New York. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman - parachutist; killed in action 1951 in South Korea. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Bryan W. Barnard

    Born 1920 in Maryland. Enlisted 1942 at Baltimore; farm hand from Garrett County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Barnard Cemetery, Swanton, Maryland.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Maggie Barnard

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Anchoria from Glasgow and Moville, aged 26; servant. From Tyrone, Ireland; bound for Connecticut.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,992 records for Barnard in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,832 records

1,832 records of the Barnard name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 805
  • Tasmanian Names Index 572
  • Other Australian records 455
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Samuel Barnard

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Marian Watson in 1841. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1845.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Thomas Barnard

    Died 1891 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 56. Will registered in Tasmania in 1891.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Henry H. Barnard

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Nebraska, aged 32; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,832 records for Barnard in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Netherlands390 records

390 records of the Barnard name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 206
  • Dutch population registers 142
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 42
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Magdalena Barnard

    Married in 1856 in 's-Gravenhage; domestic servant. Died 1912 in Rotterdam, aged 82.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Hendrik Johannes Barnard

    Married in 1904 in Rotterdam. Died 1934 in Gouda, aged 57.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Streekarchief Midden-Holland (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Wilhelmina Johanna Barnard

    Married in 1881 in 's-Gravenhage; seamstress. Died 1913 in Loosduinen, aged 63.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 390 records for Barnard in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada130 records

130 records of the Barnard name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 89
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 13
  • Other Canadian records 28
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Gladys Barnard

    Buried in 1981 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 46.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary Jane Barnard

    Died 1958 in Trenton, Pictou, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Catherine Barnard

    Died 1997; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 130 records for Barnard in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom64 records

64 records of the Barnard name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 39
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 18
  • Other British records 7
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jessie Barnard

    Died 1976, aged 89; buried at Logie Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Selina Barnard

    Will proved in 1929; of Garnant, Carmarthenshire.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record C. Barnard

    Duke of Wellington's Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 64 records for Barnard in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand23 records

23 records of the Barnard name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 20
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 2
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edward Albert Barnard

    Died 1907, aged 31; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Herbert James Barnard

    Born 1924, died 1999; buried at Kaiapoi Public Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record J. Barnard

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 23 records for Barnard in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

France9 records

9 records of the Barnard name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Yvette Marie Osmond Barnard

    Born 1912 in Paris; died 1996 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marguerite Barnard

    Born 1901 in Paris; died 1983 in Switzerland.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Pierrette Eugenie Marie Barnard

    Born 1929 in Saint-Nazaire; died 1972 in Trignac (Loire-Atlantique).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Barnard in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Barnard.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Barnard is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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