Show ContentsBarbee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Barbee is derived from a baptismal name meaning son of Barbara. In some instances, the name may have also been a nickname for someone, such as a Moor or Berber, who appeared to be of North African heritage. In such a case the name is a reference to the Barbary Coast of North Africa.

Early Origins of the Barbee family

The surname Barbee was first found in Provence, where the family has held a family seat since very early times.

Early History of the Barbee family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barbee research. Another 255 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1782 and 1789 are included under the topic Early Barbee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barbee Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Barbeyrac, Barbérac, Barbeillerac, Barberac, Barberrac, Barbeyrat, Barbérat, Barbeillerat, Barberat, Barberrat, Barberaque, Barberraque, Barbeyraque, Barbérac, Barbeilleraque, Barberracques, Barbey, Barbbey, Barbé, Barbée, Barbbé, Barbbée, Barbeille, Barbet and many more.

Early Notables of the Barbee family

More information is included under the topic Early Barbee Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barbee Ranking

In the United States, the name Barbee is the 2,753rd most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. [1]


United States Barbee migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Barbee Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Barbee, who landed in Maryland in 1678 [2]
Barbee Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • John M. Barbee, aged 26, originally from Glasgow, who arrived in New York in 1904 aboard the ship "Umbria" from Liverpool, England [3]
  • Eleanora Barbee, aged 20, originally from Italy, who arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Pannonia" from Naples, Italy [3]
  • Paul Barbee, aged 47,arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "France" from Le Havre, France [3]
  • Pierre Barbee, aged 28, who arrived in New York in 1921 aboard the ship "Samland" from Antwerp, Belgium [3]

Contemporary Notables of the name Barbee (post 1700) +

  • Joe Barbee (b. 1933), college and professional American football defensive tackle
  • Andrew Russell Barbee Jr. (1827-1903), surgeon in the Confederate service during the American Civil War
  • John Henry Barbee (1905-1964), American blues singer and guitarist
  • Bobby Harold Barbee Sr., American Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly
  • William Randolph Barbee (1818-1868), American sculptor
  • Herbert Barbee (1848-1936), American sculptor
  • David Monroe Barbee (1905-1968), American outfielder in Major League Baseball
  • Lloyd Augustus Barbee (1925-2002), American Democratic politician and civil rights activist
  • John Barbee (1815-1888), American politician, the tenth Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky
  • David Rankin Barbee (1874-1958), American journalist, and public relations writer
  • ... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Barbee 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: Honestate pulchritude
Motto Translation: Honesty, beauty


Suggested Readings for the name Barbee +

  • A Study of the Barbee Families of Chatham, Orange, and Wake Counties in North Carolina by Ruth Shields.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


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