Contents [hide]

Barre History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Barre History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Germany
Ireland
Scotland
England

Among the all the peoples of ancient Scotland, the first to use the name Barre were the Strathclyde-Britons. It was a name for someone who lived in Ayrshire, where the family was found since the early Middle Ages. It is generally thought to have been a habitational name, taken on from any of various place names in southwestern Scotland, in particular in Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. These place names derive from the Gaelic word barr, meaning "height," or "hill." 1

Further to the south in England, one of the early noteworthy people in the family was Richard Barre " (fl. 1170-1202), ecclesiastic and judge, [who] acted as the envoy of Henry II to the papal court, both shortly before and immediately after the murder of Thomas Becket. On the first occasion he was the bearer of a haughty and even minatory message from the king demanding that the pope should absolve all those who had been excommunicated by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Barre was entrusted with the custody of the great seal on the coronation of the heir apparent in 1170, but on the revolt of the prince in 1173 he offered to surrender it to the king. Barre probably succeeded Richard de Ely, otherwise FitzNeale, as archdeacon of Ely in 1184." 2

Early Origins of the Barre family

The surname Barre was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire. "The surname is most frequently found at the present day in the district around Glasgow, and is a common surname in the Kilbarchan Commissariot Record. Atkyn de Barr was bailie of Ayr c. 1340. John Bar or de Barre was burgess of Edinburgh in 1423." 1

However, some of the family were first found further south at Tollerton in Nottinghamshire, England. "This place, which takes its name from Torlaston, one of its possessors before the Conquest, in the reign of Stephen became the manor of Radulphus Barre, with whose descendants it still remains." 3

"His wife must have been a De Lisle, for his son Richard, in one of his deeds, speaks of Ranulf de Insula, his grandfather, and Matilda Malebisse, his grandmother. Fifth in descent from Richard was Thomas, Dominus de Teversall (or Tearsall), who first called himself Barry, as the family continued to do till it ended with John Barry in the reign of Henry VI. A branch seated at Torlaston lasted about one hundred years longer. These Barres or Barrys were benefactors to the monks of Beauchief." 4

Richard de Barra was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as holding lands in Somerset at that time. 5

In Northamptonshire, William Barre, or Barry, of Great Billing, held one fee of Courcy in 1165. 6 Anger de la Barra was listed at Clerkenwell, London c. 1216-1217. Later John ate Barre was recorded in Sussex in 1283. Edricius de la Bartre was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Staffordshire in 1170 and William de Barre in the Assize Rolls for Staffordshire in 1199. 7

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Gunilda de la Barre in Hertfordshire and Philip de le Barre in Huntingdonshire. 8

Early History of the Barre family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barre research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1170, 1173, 1202, 1551, 1554, 1565, 1590, 1600, 1612, 1686 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Barre History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barre Spelling Variations

The variation in the spelling of Medieval names is a result of the lack of spelling rules in the English language prior to the last few hundred years. Before that time, scribes spelled according to sound, often varying the spelling of name within a single document. Barre has appeared as Barr, Barre and others.

Early Notables of the Barre family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Richard Barre (fl. 1170-1202), an English ecclesiastic and judge who acted as the envoy of Henry II to the papal court, both shortly before and immediately after the murder of Thomas Becket. On the fi...
but on the arrival of others of his party two, ‘qui minus habebantur suspecti,’ were admitted, and in the end the embassy was successful in averting the impending excommunication. Barre was entrusted...

Barre Ranking

In the United States, the name Barre is the 9,744^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 9 However, in France, the name Barre is ranked the 148^th most popular surname with an estimated 21,027 people with that name. 10

Migration of the Barre family to Ireland

Some of the Barre family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barre migration to the United States +

As the persecution of Clan families continued, they sailed for North America in increasing numbers. In most cases, they found the freedom and opportunity they sought. Land was often available and the American War of Independence allowed Scots an opportunity to solidify their independence from the English crown. These settlers and their ancestors went on to play essential roles in the forging of the nations of the United States and Canada. Among them:

Barre Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

James Barre who arrived in New York in 1680
James Barre, aged 26, who arrived in New York in 1680 11

Barre Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Henry Barre, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1718 11
Jacob Barre, Sr. and Jacob Barre, Jr., both of whom arrived in Pennsylvania in 1718
Jacob Barre Jr., who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1718 11
John George Barre, who landed in South Carolina in 1735 11

Barre Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

J. P. Barre, age 28, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1821
L. P. Barre, age 27, who settled in New York City in 1821
S Barre, who arrived in Arkansas in 1892 11

Barre Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Peter Barre, who landed in Arkansas in 1901 11

Contemporary Notables of the name Barre (post 1700) +

William de la Barre (1849-1936), Austrian-born, American civil engineer who developed a new process for milling wheat into flour using energy-saving steel rollers at the Washburn-Crosby Mills (now known as General Mills)
Raoul Weston La Barre (1911-1996), American anthropologist, best known for his work in ethnobotany
Raoul Barré (1874-1932), Canadian-born, American cartoonist and animator of the silent film era
Abdirahman Jama Barre (1937-2017), Somali politician, Minister of Finance of the Somali Democratic Republic (1987-1991)
William Joseph Barre (1830-1867), Irish architect, best known for his many buildings in Belfast in a Gothic Revival style
Mohamed Siad Barre (1919-1995), President of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969-91
Martin Lancelot Barre (b. 1946), English rock musician, best known for his work with the rock band Jethro Tull
Pierre-Yves Barré (1749-1832), French vaudevillist and song-writer
Jean Benoît Vincent Barré (1732-1824), French architect, one of the creators of the 'Louis XVI style' of architecture
Jean Auguste Barre (1811-1896), French sculptor and medalist
... (Another 9 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Liber Niger Scutarii ("Black Book of the Exchequer"), containing reports by county on feudal holdings in England in 1166 (reign of Henry II)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)