Show ContentsBarrat History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the Barrat family goes back to the Medieval landscape of northern France, to that coastal region known as Normandy. Barrat is a habitation name, derived from the place name Barrault, in Normandy. 1

Early Origins of the Barrat family

The surname Barrat was first found in Normandy (French: Normandie), the former Duchy of Normandy, where they held a family seat in the village of Charente in the arrondissement de Chatelle Rault. 2

"Formerly the Carmelites were called the Barred Brothers, because of their clothes. Du Cange says that barette is the noun of the verb bareter, to exchange, to trade. Moisy says that in Normandy the name of churn to the churn to make butter is given." 2

Early History of the Barrat family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barrat research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1658, 1706, 1711, 1804 and 1874 are included under the topic Early Barrat History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barrat Spelling Variations

French surnames were subject to numerous spelling alterations depending on the region and time it was used. The early development of the French language relied heavily on borrowing elements and grammar from other languages. For example, Old French was infused with Germanic words and sounds when barbarian tribes invaded and settled in France after the fall of the Roman Empire. Middle French also borrowed heavily from the Italian language during the Renaissance. As a result of these linguistic and cultural influences, the name Barrat is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Baratte, Barate, Barat, Barrat, Barat, Baraud, Barraud, Barrault, Barault, Bareau, Barreau, Barau, Barrau, Barou, Barrou, Barot, Barrot, Barott, Barrott, Barrotte, Barotte, Barratt, Barrat, Baratt, Barre, Barry, Barrett, Barrette, Barret, Barett, Barrit, Barritt, Barritte, Barre and many more.

Early Notables of the Barrat family

Notable amongst the family in this period was

  • Claude Barrat (c. 1658-c.1711), a French notary and a clerk of the court in Placentia (Plaisance), Newfoundland; and Nicolas Barat (died 1706), a French Catholic scholar of Hebrew works

Barrat Ranking

In France, the name Barrat is the 3,250th most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. 3


United States Barrat migration to the United States +

In 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 people in Quebec. Migration was slow. The fur trade attracted migrants, both noble and commoner. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the same year the French Acadian presence in the Maritimes had reached 500. The French founded Lower Canada, thus becoming one of the two great founding nations of Canada. The family name Barrat has made many distinguished contributions in France and New France to the world of science, culture, religion, and education. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Barrat were

Barrat Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Ruth Barrat, who landed in Virginia in 1679 4

West Indies Barrat 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. 5
Barrat Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Annis Barrat, who settled in Barbados in 1635
  • Miss Annis Barrat, (b. 1615), aged 20, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 6


The Barrat Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Pour bien desirer
Motto Translation: For wishing well.


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Dionne, N.-E., Les Canadiens-Francais Origine Des Familles. Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 1969. Print
  3. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  4. 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)
  5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  6. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm


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