Show ContentsBarrett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Barrett Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Barrett

What does the name Barrett mean?

When the Strongbownians arrived in Ireland, they encountered an established Irish system for creating hereditary surnames. However, like the Irish, the Anglo-Norman Strongbownians frequently had patronymic surnames, a form of surname that was formed from the name of the bearer's father, or another older relative. Therefore, since the Strongbownians' system was in many ways built on the same principles as the Irish, the two systems eventually attained a sort of merger. Since the Stronbownian's names often had Norman names which were French, diminutive suffixes, such as -ot, -et, -un, -in, or -el were added to the name of the bearer's father, or older relative. Another Norman way of creating a patronymic name was to use the prefix Fitz-, which was derived from the French word "fils," and ultimately from the Latin "filius," both of which mean son. The surname Barrett is derived from the personal name Berold. In Munster, the Gaelic form of the surname Barrett is Baróid, while in Connacht, the Gaelic form is Bairéid.

Early Origins of the Barrett family

The surname Barrett was first found in Lincolnshire, where Matthew Baret was recorded between 1150 and 1155. The Barret family was also established in the English counties of Nottinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Hampshire, Yorkshire and Essex. However, they joined Strongbow in his invasion of Ireland in 1172 at the invitation of the King of Leinster, Dermot McMurrough. Strongbow granted lands to the family in County Cork and County Mayo where they became staunchly Irish.

Patrick Barret (d. 1415), was an Irish ecclesiastic and judge, one of the canons of the Augustinian abbey of Kells in Ossory, was consecrated Bishop of Ferns in Wexford by the Pope at Rome in December 1400. 1

Not all of the family emigrated to Ireland, but today the name is better known there than in England. By example, "the manor of Ashton, or Ashtorre Barrett, in [the parish of St. Dominick, Cornwall], belonged for many generations to the ancient family of Barrett; but on failure of male issue it passed with an heiress in 1707 to the family of Prestwood." 2

Early History of the Barrett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barrett research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1410, 1412, 1415, 1554, 1555, 1558, 1580, 1631, 1691, 1693 and 1713 are included under the topic Early Barrett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barrett Spelling Variations

During an investigation of the origin of each name, it was found that church officials and medieval scribes spelled many surnames as they sounded. Therefore, during the lifetime of a single person, a name could be spelt numerous ways. Some of the spelling variations for the name Barrett include Barrett, Barret, Barett, Baret, Barratt, Barrat, Barat, Baratt, McWhadden and many more.

Early Notables of the Barrett family

  • Lord of Tirawley; Patrick Barrett (died 1415), an Irishman who held religious and secular high offices in Ireland, an Augustinian Canon at Kells Priory in County Kilkenny, Bishop of Ferns (appointed 1...
  • John Barrett (died 1693), was an Irish colonel and head of the barony of the Cork Barrett family; he raised a regiment of infantry for King James' army in Ireland; and John Barret (1631-1713), was a p...

Barrett World Ranking

In Australia, the name Barrett is the 191st most popular surname with an estimated 16,704 people with that name. 3 However, in New Zealand, the name Barrett is ranked the 200th most popular surname with an estimated 2,795 people with that name. 4 And in the United Kingdom, the name Barrett is the 166th popular surname with an estimated 32,381 people with that name. 5 Canada ranks Barrett as 399th with 11,607 people. 6 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Barrett as 56th with 447 people. 7 The United States ranks Barrett as 280th with 96,993 people. 8

Barrett migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet and Third Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

First Fleet
  • Mr. Jonathan Barrett, (1765 - 1790), aged 24, British settler convicted in Middlesex, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790, may have died on the ship 9
Third Fleet
  • Mr. Thomas Barrett, (1758 - 1788), aged 25, Irish Blacksmith convicted in London, England on 10th September 1782, sentenced for life for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Charlotte" leaving on 13th May 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 22nd January 1788 10
Following the First and Third Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Barrett Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Barrett, (b. 1758), aged 29, English blacksmith who was convicted in London, England for life for theft, transported aboard the "Charlotte" on 13th May 1787, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1788 10
Barrett Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Barrett migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Barrett Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Richard Barrett, who landed in Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand in 1830
  • John Barrett, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
  • Richard Barrett, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
  • William Barrett, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
  • Mr. Peter Barrett, British settler, as the 2nd Detachment of New Zealand Corps of Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Minerva" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th October 1847 15
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Barrett (post 1700) +

  • John Edward Barrett (1928-2023), Australian rules football player from Frankston, Victoria, active from 1950 through 1961
  • Shirley Barrett (1961-2022), Australian film director, screenwriter, and novelist from Melbourne
  • Robert G. Barrett (1946-2012), Australian author who sold over 1,000,000 books in Australia, best known for the books with his Les Norton character
  • Ray Barrett (1927-2009), Australian actor
  • Charles Leslie Barrett (1870-1959), Australian naturalist, journalist, author and ornithologist
  • Peter Francis Barrett (1956-2015), Irish Bishop of Cashel and Ossory in the Church of Ireland from 2002 to 2006
  • Danelle Barrett (1967-2024), American naval officer who is one of less that 200 women to achieve Rear Admiral (lower half)
  • Colleen C. Barrett (1944-2024), American business executive, President, and later President Emerita, of Southwest Airlines
  • Aston Francis Barrett CD (1946-2024), often called "Family Man" or "Fams" for short, was a Jamaican musician and Rastafarian
  • ... (Another 25 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Cataraqui
  • William Barrett (b. 1807), British passenger who died aboard the ship "Cataraqui" when sailing for Melbourne, Australia she struck rocks of Kings Island and sank on 4th April 1845
  • Mary Barrett (b. 1806), British passenger who died aboard the ship "Cataraqui" when sailing for Melbourne, Australia she struck rocks of Kings Island and sank on 4th April 1845
  • George Barrett (b. 1835), British passenger who died aboard the ship "Cataraqui" when sailing for Melbourne, Australia she struck rocks of Kings Island and sank on 4th April 1845
  • Dinah Barrett (b. 1836), British passenger who died aboard the ship "Cataraqui" when sailing for Melbourne, Australia she struck rocks of Kings Island and sank on 4th April 1845
  • Henry Barrett (b. 1838), British passenger who died aboard the ship "Cataraqui" when sailing for Melbourne, Australia she struck rocks of Kings Island and sank on 4th April 1845
  • ... (Another 17 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Suggested Readings for the name Barrett +

  • John Clinton Barrett, Tennessee Settler in the Ozarks: The Life and Times of John C. Barrett, his Family and Descendants by Ron Pyron.
  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  2. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  3. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  4. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  5. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  6. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  7. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  8. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  9. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  10. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/charlotte
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au
  13. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Ann voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1809 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/ann/1809
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Dick
  15. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html

Houseofnames.com on Facebook