Barre Family History

French: topographic name for someone who lived by a gateway or barrier or in a house encircled by a fence from Old French barre ‘bar obstruction’ (of obscure origin possibly akin to the Celtic element barr ‘height’); or a habitational name from any of various places called with this word e.g. Barre-en-Ouche in Eure or Barre-de-Semilly in Manche. Compare Labarre.

French: probably also a habitational name from Barre in Lozère named with the Celtic element barr ‘height’. French (Barré): from Old French barré ‘striped’ referring to a habitual wearer of striped clothing or probably of a piece of striped cloth worn around the helmet for identification in battle.

In the Middle Ages the term was also applied to the Carmelite Friars who wore habits striped in black, yellow, and white and it may have been used as a nickname for someone thought to resemble a Carmelite in some way. This surname is also found in Germany attested as a Huguenot name for example in Magdeburg in 170. Compare Barry and Bora.

French (Barré): possibly also a habitational name from (Le) Barré, the name of several places mainly in the northern part of France. English: variant of Barr.

Somali: from the personal name Barre meaning ‘teacher’. — Note: Since Somalis traditionally do not have hereditary surnames, this name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.