History of your Surname
Get access to Barras family records.Start a free trial

Barras Family History

Barras Name Meaning

English (Durham and Northumberland): variant of Barrass itself a variant of Barrows . French: from an augmentative of Barre It may also be a habitational name from (Le/Les) Barras the name of several places in various parts of France. Spanish: plural form of Barra a topographic name meaning ‘barrier sandbank’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Barlas, Barrs, Barra, Darras, Barre, Arras, Carras, Barrow, Barrows

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Barras family from?

You can see how Barras families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Barras family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Barras families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 267 Barras families living in Durham. This was about 45% of all the recorded Barras's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Barras families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Barras surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Barras 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 Barras. 29% of Barras men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Barras women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Barras were Colliery Hewer and Cotton Weaver. .

View Census Data for Barras | 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
    29%
  • Bricklayer
    12%
  • Iron Foundry Labourer
    9%
  • Colliery Hewer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    5%
  • Domestic Servant
    4%
  • Cotton Weaver
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Barras family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 17,000 census records available for the last name Barras. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Barras census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Barras

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Barras. 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 Barras immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Barras. For the veterans among your Barras ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Barras military records

You've only scratched the surface of Barras family history

Discover More

What is the average Barras lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Barras life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Barras in 1945 was 43, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Barras

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Barras family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Barras last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial