Contents [hide]

Barnet History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Barnet History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Ireland

The ancestors of the name Barnet date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Barnet family lived on or near land cleared for cultivation by burning off the forest.

The name may also have been patronymic as in "'the son of Bernard,' or 'Barnard.' The Cistercian monk gave a wonderful impetus in the 13th century to this name, already popular. A large number of Bernards sprang up in Furness after the Abbey came under the Bernardino rule." 1

Early Origins of the Barnet family

The surname Barnet was first found in Herefordshire at Chipping Barnet, a parish, town, and the head of a union, in the hundred of Cashio. "This place, called also High Barnet, from its situation on the summit of a hill, derives its distinguishing name from the privilege granted to the monks of St. Alban's, of holding a market here. On April 5th, 1471, the decisive battle which terminated in the defeat and death of the Earl of Warwick, and established Edward IV. on the throne, took place on Gladmore Heath, a mile north-west of the town." 2

Barnet by the Wold is a parish, in the union of Glandford-Brigg, S. division of the wapentake of Yarborough, parts of Lindsey, Lincolnshire, East Barnet is a parish, in the union of Barnet, hundred of Cashio, Herefordshire and Fryern Barnet is a parish, in the union of Barnet, Finsbury division of the hundred of Ossulstone, county of Middlesex. "It is supposed that an abbey anciently existed here from which the place obtained the prefix to its name, and that the old manor-house, now taken down, was the summer residence of the abbots. " 2

The singular name Bernadus was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 in Huntingdonshire. 3 A few years later, it appeared again in Norfolk (1101-1116.) 4

With a forename, one the earliest records was that of John Barnet (d. 1373), an English bishop successively of Worcester, Bath and Wells, and Ely, and was chaplain to Thomas Lisle. 5

Early History of the Barnet family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barnet research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1760, 1799, 1806, 1807, 1816, 1820, 1836 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Barnet History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barnet Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Barnet are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Barnet include: Barnett, Barnette, Barnet and others.

Early Notables of the Barnet family

Notables of the family at this time include

James Barnett (c. 1760-1836), an English banker and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons and a Member of Parliament for Rochester (1806-1807) and (1816-1820.)
Thomas Barnett (1799-1890), born in Birmingham, England, moved to Canada in the 1820s to become a museum proprietor, collector and innkeeper who managed museums and other tourist attractions in Niagar...

Barnet Ranking

In France, the name Barnet is the 9,518^th most popular surname with an estimated 500 - 1,000 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Barnet family to Ireland

Some of the Barnet family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barnet migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Barnet or a variant listed above:

Barnet Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Julian Barnet, who landed in Maryland in 1639 7
Thomas Barnet, who landed in Salisbury, Massachusetts in 1640 7
Mary Barnet, who arrived in Maryland in 1660 7
Elizabeth Barnet, who landed in Virginia in 1663 7
Lawrence Barnet, who arrived in Maryland in 1670 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Barnet Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Margaret Barnet, who landed in Virginia in 1714 7
Amedee Gaston Barnet, aged 21, who landed in Louisiana in 1719 7
William Barnet, who landed in America in 1736 7

Barnet Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Edward Barnet, who arrived in America in 1806 7
Elias Barnet, aged 45, who arrived in New York in 1812 7
David Barnet, aged 50, who landed in New York in 1812 7
William Barnet, aged 22, who landed in Maryland in 1813 7
Raymond Barnet, who landed in Maryland in 1828 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Barnet migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Barnet Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Andrew Barnet, who settled in St. John's, Newfoundland at Lower Road in 1780 8

Barnet Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

William Barnet, who settled in Harbour Grace in 1821, there is a Barnet Island in Newfoundland 8
Jane Barnet, aged 36, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Eleanor Gordon" in 1834
Isabella Barnet, aged 43, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Eleanor Gordon" in 1834
Robert Barnet, aged 12, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Eleanor Gordon" in 1834
Andrew Barnet, aged 12, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Eleanor Gordon" in 1834
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Barnet migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Barnet Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Sarah Barnet who was convicted in Birmingham, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 10th November 1848, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
Eliza Barnet, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Sir Charles Forbes" in 1849 10
Benjamin Barnet, aged 21, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Constance" 11

Barnet migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 12

Barnet Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Jo Barnet, aged 20, settled in Barbados in 1635
Jo Barnet, who arrived in Barbados in 1635 7
Mr. John Barnet, (b. 1615), aged 20, British settler travelling from Gravesend, England aboard the ship "Falcon" arriving in Barbados in 1636 13

Barnet Settlers in West Indies in the 19th Century

Edward Barnet, who settled in Barbados in 1660 and Mrs. Barnet, aged 50, settled in New York in 1820

Contemporary Notables of the name Barnet (post 1700) +

Sylvan Saul Barnet (1926-2016), American literary critic and Shakespearean scholar
Charlie Barnet (1913-1991), American Jazz musician
Richard Jackson Barnet (1929-2004), American scholar-activist
Melvin L. Barnet (d. 1998), American copy editor for The New York Times from 1953-1955
Robert L. Barnet, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 1st District, 1920 14
Isaac Cox Barnet (d. 1833), American politician, U.S. Consul in Bordeaux, 1799-1801; Antwerp, 1802-03 14
Hugo L. Barnet, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Massachusetts, 1988 14
David Barnet, American politician, Delegate to Ohio State Constitutional Convention from Preble County, 1850-51; Delegate to Ohio State Constitutional Convention from Preble County, 1873 14
Charles Barnet, American politician, U.S. Consul in Antwerp, 1825-29; Venice, 1830-34; Genoa, 1834-37 14
Olga Borisovna Barnet (1951-2021), Soviet and Russian actress who worked at the Moscow Art Theatre
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Barnet family +

Bismarck

Ernst Barnet (1914-1941), German Matrosenobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 15

HMS Hood

Mr. William L Barnet (b. 1903), Scottish Cook (O) serving for the Royal Navy from Granton, Midlothian, Scotland, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 16

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SIR CHARLES FORBES originally CHARLES FORBES 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849SirCharlesForbes.gif
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTANCE 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Constance.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm