The Barnes surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 218,241 people carried this name — #110 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 1,350 people counted. That is up 4% from 210,426 in 2000.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 26 births for the Barnes name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,200 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 4 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim.”
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 1,119 people named Barnes 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 Buenos Aires Province.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
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 167 people named Barnes.
73 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 16 départements, most often Bouches-du-Rhône.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
122 people named Barnes live in Switzerland.
They live in 9 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
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 Poland’s population register
29 people named Barnes have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 109 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 7 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Lesser Poland.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In the Nordic population registers
176 people named Barnes are counted in Sweden and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
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) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Barnes in American newspapers,
1876–1919.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,271,542 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Barnes,
with a public archive behind them.
-
Robert Barnes 1495–1540 · theologian -
David Leonard Barnes 1760–1812 · judge -
James Barnes 1801–1869 · military officer -
William Barnes 1801–1886 · writer -
Demas Barnes 1827–1888 · politician
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 157 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Barnes.
- Barker 87,162 · U.S. census
- Barland 163 · U.S. census
- Barlatier 158 · U.S. census
- Barlet 343 · U.S. census
- Barletta 1,440 · U.S. census
- Barnabe 104 · U.S. census
- Barnet 856 · U.S. census
- Barnett 95,681 · U.S. census
- Barnier 396 · U.S. census
- Baro 1,258 · U.S. census
- Baron 16,308 · U.S. census
- Barone 12,758 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Barnes 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.