Barrow Family History

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Barrow Name Meaning

habitational name from any of the numerous places named with Old English bearo, bearu ‘grove’ (dative bear(o)we, bearuwe), for example in Cheshire, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Shropshire, Suffolk, and Somerset, or a topographic name with the same meaning. topographic name for someone who lived by an ancient burial mound, Middle English berwe, barwe, or a habitational name from a place named with this word (Old English beorg, dative beorge), of which there is one near Leicester and another in Somerset. habitational name from Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, which is named with an unattested Celtic word, barr, here meaning ‘promontory’, + Old Norse ey ‘island’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Barlow, Carrow, Yarrow, Harrow, Barre, Barrows, Arrow, Harlow, Harrop

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Barrow Family Origin

Where is the Barrow family from?

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You can see how Barrow families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Barrow family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Barrow families were found in the UK in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,863 Barrow families living in Lancashire. This was about 28% of all the recorded Barrow's in the UK. Lancashire had the highest population of Barrow families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Barrow surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Barrow

Barrow Family Occupations

What did your Barrow ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the UK named Barrow. 10% of Barrow men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Barrow women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Barrow were Incapacitated and Private Means

View Census data for Barrow | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations in 1939

  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Farmer
    3%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations in 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%

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

Barrow Historical Records

What Barrow family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 186,000 census records available for the last name Barrow. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Barrow census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search 1891 UK census records for Barrow

Passenger List

There are 24,000 immigration records available for the last name Barrow. 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 Barrow immigration records

Draft Card

There are 23,000 military records available for the last name Barrow. For the veterans among your Barrow ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Barrow military records

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Barrow Life Expectancy

What is the average Barrow lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Barrow life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 1952. The average life expectancy for Barrow in 1942 was 54, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Barrow

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Barrow 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.

Famous Barrow Family Ancestors

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