BARBIER
Barbier is a surname of French origin. Deriving from the Old French word barbier, it was originally an occupational name given to individuals who practised the art of cutting hair, shaving beards and, in the Middle Ages, carrying out rudimentary surgery such as tooth removal and bloodletting.
Historical documents record the earliest instance of the name as that of Alan le Barbur in 1221, found in the Assize Court Rolls of Warwickshire during the reign of King Henry I. Subsequent references include John le Barbur in 1248 in the Feet of Fines of Essex, Thomas le Barber in 1281 in the London Letter Books, and Robert le Barbier in 1299 in the Cambridgeshire records. The French Huguenot Church of Threadneedle Street, London, documents baptisms of Jean Barbier, son of Jean and Catherine, on 21 May 1620, and another Jean Barbier, son of Paul and Marie, on 8 December 1695.
In France the surname is most frequently found in the north and central regions. According to the Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Economiques, it ranked 246th in popularity in 2017, with significant concentrations in Ile‑de‑France, Picardy, Normandy, Lorraine, Champagne‑Ardenne, Aquitaine and Midi‑Pyrenees. Outside France it is recognised in the United States, where it is among the 1100 most common names, in French‑speaking Canada, and occurs sporadically in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands and a few other European countries.
Variants of the surname appear in many languages: in English it is seen as Barbour and Barber; in Spanish as Barbiero; in Italian as Barbiieri; in German as Barbirer; in Dutch as Barbaar; and in Norwegian and Swedish it has been rendered as Barber. These forms all share the same occupational root and reflect the widespread influence of French on European onomastics.
A coat of arms belonging to a Barbier family in Paris depicts three red roses between a golden chevron on a blue field, and on a silver chief a black lion passant, symbolising the family’s historic prominence.
Typical given names associated with the Barbier surname
Male
- Anthony
- Francois
- George
- Humphrey
- Laurence
- Mauricio
- Michael
- Mike
- Nicholas
- Paul
- Peter
- Roy
- Steve
- Steven
Female
- Ada
- Alexandra
- Jean
- Jocelyne
- Judith
- Karen
- Marie
- Mary
- Nadine
- Sabrina
Similar and related surnames
- Barbar
- Barbara
- Barbard
- Barbare
- Barbari
- Barbaria
- Barbaro
- Barbary
- Barbaur
- Barbeary
- Barbee
- Barbeiro
- Barber
- Barbera
- Barberan
- Barbere
- Barbereau
- Barberel
- Barberet
- Barberg
- Barberi
- Barberick
- Barberio
- Barberis
- Barbero
- Barberry
- Barbers
- Barbert
- Barbery
- Barbie
- Barbiera
- Barbiere
- Barbieri
- Barbiero
- Barbir
- Barbor
- Barboro
- Barbour
- Barbra
- Barbur
- Barbury
- Berber
- Berberi
- Berberry
- Berbert
- Berbiers
- Bierber
- Borbor
- Bourbery
- Burber
- Burberry
- Burbery
- Burbury
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Barbier in...
Braille
⠃⠁⠗⠃⠊⠑⠗
Morse
-....-.-.-.......-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 160 people named Barbier in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around two in a million people in Britain are named Barbier.
Region of origin: Europe
Country of origin: France
Language of origin: French
