The Barrington surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,843 people carried this name — #6,928 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 61,000 people counted. That is up 4% from 4,649 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Barrington surname

A habitational surname from Old English.

As an English surname, from several placenames, such as the one in Gloucestershire, from the Old English personal name Beorn + -ing (“belonging to”) + tūn (“enclosure; settlement, town”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Barrington» (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 local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Barrington’.

An early record he cites: Warin de Barenton, Cambridgeshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 80 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 7 births for the Barrington name in 1890.

Most were registered in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 300 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.

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

Where they were born, 1890

Leinster 4
Munster 2
Connacht 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

61 people named Barrington is counted in Sweden.

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

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 61

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

Barrington was found among the farmers of Somerset: 20 in every 10,000.

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

Somerset 20

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 print

Barrington in American newspapers,
1903–1910.

Newspaper page from The St. Louis Republic carrying the name Barrington
The St. Louis Republic 1903-06-28
Newspaper page from The St. Louis Republic carrying the name Barrington
The St. Louis Republic 1903-06-30
Newspaper page from El Paso Herald carrying the name Barrington
El Paso Herald 1910-05-07

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 79,265 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Barrington in Australian newspapers,
1800s–2000s.

20,635 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Barrington. The most, 3,770, date from the 1890s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 8,806
Queensland 4,586
Victoria 3,461
South Australia 1,609
Western Australia 1,407
Tasmania 631
ACT (Canberra) 80
Northern Territory 11

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

Who carried it

People named Barrington,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Thomas Barrington d. 1581 · politician
  • Mary Rose Bacon d. 1943
  • Sarah Meade d. 1746
  • Edith Mary Marshall d. 1829
  • Christine Mary Stella Kuhling d. 1962
  • Annie Wetten d. 1985

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

In the public record

People named Barrington,
in the records of 6 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 States582 records

582 records of the Barrington name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 141
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 125
  • Other U.S. records 316
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Albert E. Barrington

    Born 1913 in Michigan. Enlisted 1943 at Kalamazoo; welder from Michigan. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1997, buried at Fort Custer National Cemetery, Michigan.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1891 aboard the Holland from Liverpool, aged 17; servant. From Warsaw, Russia.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Alvis T. Barrington

    Born 1950; from Richmond, Virginia. U.S. Army, utility helicopter repairer; died in an accident 1971 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 582 records for Barrington in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · 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, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · 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: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia351 records

351 records of the Barrington name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 207
  • Tasmanian Names Index 52
  • Other Australian records 92
  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 John Barrington

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Glatton, arriving 1803; ticket of leave 1825. Native of Glouc.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record June Barrington

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Diadem, aged 36; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Margaret Elaine Barrington

    Secretary of Cheltenham, Victoria; died 2001.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 351 records for Barrington in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada66 records

66 records of the Barrington name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 53
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 6
  • Other Canadian records 7
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Charles John Barrington

    Died 1866 in Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

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

    Buried in 1919 at Union Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Albert Barrington

    Died in service in 1915.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 66 records for Barrington in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom10 records

10 records of the Barrington name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 8
  • Welsh wills index cards 2
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Florence Jane Barrington

    Will proved in 1936; of Bodorgan, Anglesea.

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

    Lancashire Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Jane Barrington

    Will proved in 1930; of Blk, Blk.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Barrington in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: 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).

Netherlands9 records

9 records of the Barrington name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 6
  • Dutch population registers 3
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Johannes William Barrington

    Born 1814 in 's-Hertogenbosch. Died 1814 in 's-Hertogenbosch.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Jean Henri Barrington

    Born 1813 in 's-Hertogenbosch. Died 1813 in 's-Hertogenbosch.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Samuel John Barrington

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Barrington in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

New Zealand4 records

4 records of the Barrington name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 3
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George Barrington

    Buried in 1907 at Tararu Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 89.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Claude Stanley Barrington

    Died 1992; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Lorna Mary Barrington

    Died 1964; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 4 records for Barrington in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Barrington.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Barrington 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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