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Barry Family History

Barry Name Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Beargha ‘descendant of Beargh’, a byname meaning ‘plunderer’. Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Báire ‘descendant of Báire’, a short form of either of two Gaelic personal names, Bairrfhionn or Fionnbharr. English, of Welsh origin: patronymic from Harry, the medieval English vernacular form of Henry, preceded by Welsh ap ‘son of’. Compare Parry. Variant spelling of Barrie 1.

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


Similar surnames: Berry, Barr, Harry, Parry, Merry, Burry, Harty, Barra, Terry, Larry

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Barry family from?

You can see how Barry families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Barry family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Barry families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,630 Barry families living in London. This was about 30% of all the recorded Barry's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Barry families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Barry 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 Barry 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 Barry. 14% of Barry men worked as a General Labourer and 63% of Barry women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Barry were Motor Driver and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Barry | 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
    14%
  • Incapacitated
    5%
  • Builders Labourer
    5%
  • Motor Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    63%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Barry family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 460,000 census records available for the last name Barry. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Barry census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Barry

Passenger Lists

There are 88,000 immigration records available for the last name Barry. 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 Barry immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 97,000 military records available for the last name Barry. For the veterans among your Barry ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Barry military records

You've only scratched the surface of Barry family history

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What is the average Barry lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Barry life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Barry in 1940 was 42, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Barry

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