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Barney Family History

Barney Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from Barney in Norfolk which is probably named with an Old English personal name Bera (with genitive -n) + Old English ēg ‘island dry ground in a marsh’. English: from the personal name Barney a pet form of Bernard.

Scottish: possibly from the Old Norse personal name Bjarni (from bjǫrn ‘bear’). In some cases also an Americanized form of French Bernier.

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


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Where is the Barney family from?

You can see how Barney families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Barney family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Barney families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 160 Barney families living in London. This was about 22% of all the recorded Barney's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Barney families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Barney 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 Barney ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Bricklayer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Barney. 17% of Barney men worked as a Bricklayer and 74% of Barney women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Barney were General Labourer and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Barney | 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

  • Bricklayer
    17%
  • Builders Labourer
    11%
  • General Dealer
    11%
  • General Labourer
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    74%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

What Barney family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 110,000 census records available for the last name Barney. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Barney census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Barney

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Barney. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Australia, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Barney immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 22,000 military records available for the last name Barney. For the veterans among your Barney ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Barney military records

You've only scratched the surface of Barney family history

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What is the average Barney lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Barney life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Barney in 1940 was 52, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Barney

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Barney 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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