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Barrass Family History

Barrass Surname Meaning

The name is a variant of Barrows. According to the Redmonds Dictionary of Yorks Surnames, records indicate that William Barowes was mentioned in 1547 and John Barras in 1638, both found in Knaresborough Wills (Knaresborough WR Yorks).

The name may refer to a large or tall person and is derived from the Old French term barrace, meaning ‘large bar’ or ‘bulky obstacle’. This interpretation suggests a possible link to size and stature.

It's also plausible that the name originates from the same word in a technical sense, depicting ‘the outwork of a fortress’. This military connotation offers additional context for the usage of the term.

Furthermore, the name may be understood as a re-spelling of Barros, emphasizing its varied forms and cultural adaptations over time.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Barrass family from?

You can see how Barrass families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Barrass family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Barrass families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 347 Barrass families living in Durham. This was about 37% of all the recorded Barrass's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Barrass families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Barrass surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Barrass ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Barrass. 15% of Barrass men worked as a General Labourer and 80% of Barrass women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Barrass were Colliery Hewer (below) and Unpaid Household Duties.

View Census Data for Barrass | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    15%
  • Colliery Hewer
    9%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Colliery Hewer (below)
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dut
    2%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    2%

What Barrass family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Barrass. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Barrass census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Barrass

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Barrass. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Barrass immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Barrass. For the veterans among your Barrass ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Barrass military records

You've only scratched the surface of Barrass family history

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What is the average Barrass lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2003, in the United States, Barrass life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2000, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Barrass in 1963 was 81, and 61 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Barrass

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Barrass ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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