BARTON
The surname Barton is of English origin and is closely associated with the geography and agriculture of the British Isles.
In its earliest form the name is derived from the Old English words bere meaning “barley” and tun meaning “enclosure” or “settlement”. Consequently one interpretation of the name is that it was originally applied to an inhabitant of a barley farm or a settlement in which barley was cultivated.
Alternatively, Barton can be considered a locational surname, signifying a person who hailed from one of the numerous places bearing that name within England. Such places are recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, where the spelling “Bertone” is used in entries for Barton in Staffordshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Warwickshire and Lincolnshire. The place of Barton in Kent, Suffolk and the North Riding of Yorkshire likewise appears under the same form.
The earliest confirmed spelling of the family name is that of Aelfric aet Bertune, dated to 1015 and listed in the Anglo‑Saxon Name Register. Subsequent medieval records show the name in association with the following individuals: Paganus de Barton (Yorkshire, 1163); John de la Berton (Kent, 1273); and Thomas de Bartone of Ayrshire (1296), the latter who rendered homage to the King of Scotland.
In the thirteenth century a leading Barton family established a settlement in Ireland, chiefly identified with Straffan in County Kildare. This transference of the name illustrates the broader pattern of English surnames spreading beyond the borders of England during the medieval period.
Several notable bearers of the surname appear in the annals of late‑sixteenth and early‑tenth‑century history. Andrew Barton, a Scottish naval commander, is celebrated for expelling Flemish pirates from the coasts of Scotland in 1506. Edward Barton served as the second English ambassador to Constantinople in 1590.
The heraldic arms associated with the name were granted to a Lord Mayor of London who held office between 1416 and 1430. The shield is ermine, overlaid with a sable saltire, and bears a gold annulet set against a voided background of the same tincture.
Today the surname Barton remains in common use across the United Kingdom, retaining its historical link to English place names and to the agricultural heritage embodied in the words bere and tun. The name continues to be regarded as a distinct marker of heritage, rooted in the linguistic and cultural landscape of medieval England.
Typical given names associated with the Barton surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Julie
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Barten
- Bartone
- Bartin
- Bardon
- Baron
- Bartons
- Bareto
- Braton
- Barto
- Bairden
- Baradon
- Barattini
- Bardan
- Barden
- Bardin
- Bardine
- Bardini
- Bardino
- Bardoni
- Bardun
- Baretto
- Bargeton
- Barlton
- Barnon
- Barnton
- Baroden
- Barradine
- Barradouane
- Barridine
- Barston
- Bartan
- Bartens
- Barthen
- Bartian
- Bartimote
- Bartington
- Bartmin
- Bartom
- Bartos
- Bartow
- Bartram
- Bartron
- Bartrum
- Bartten
- Bartton
- Bartu
- Bartunek
- Baughten
- Baughton
- Bautton
- Bawton
- Bearden
- Beardon
- Bearton
- Beerten
- Beerton
- Berdan
- Berden
- Berdin
- Berdini
- Berdon
- Beredon
- Bereton
- Berettoni
- Berreton
- Bertagna
- Bertagne
- Bertan
- Bertani
- Bertano
- Berthon
- Bertin
- Bertini
- Bertino
- Berto
- Berton
- Bertone
- Bertoni
- Beurton
- Bhurton
- Bierton
- Birdane
- Birden
- Birdine
- Birdno
- Birdon
- Birten
- Birton
- Birtten
- Birtton
- Boardan
- Boarden
- Boardon
- Boarton
- Boertien
- Boorden
- Boratyn
- Bordan
- Bordean
- Bordeanu
- Bordeianu
- Borden
- Bordin
- Bordine
- Bordini
- Bordino
- Bordogna
- Bordon
- Bordone
- Bordoni
- Bordun
- Borittan
- Boroden
- Borodin
- Borodina
- Bortan
- Borton
- Bortone
- Bourdain
- Bourden
- Bourdin
- Bourdon
- Bouriton
- Bourten
- Bourton
- Braaten
- Bradden
- Braddon
- Bradeen
- Braden
- Bradin
- Bradnee
- Bradon
- Braeden
- Braiden
- Braidon
- Bratan
- Braten
- Brattain
- Brattan
- Bratten
- Brattin
- Bratton
- Brauton
- Brayden
- Braydon
- Brayton
- Breaden
- Breadin
- Breadon
- Breaton
- Breddan
- Breddon
- Breden
- Bredin
- Bredon
- Breedan
- Breeden
- Breedin
- Breedon
- Breeton
- Breiden
- Breidon
- Bretagne
- Bretan
- Bretana
- Breton
- Brettain
- Bretten
- Bretton
- Bretune
- Breuton
- Brewton
- Breydin
- Breyton
- Bridan
- Briddan
- Bridden
- Briddon
- Briden
- Bridon
- Brieden
- Britain
- Britan
- Briten
- Britian
- Brition
- Briton
- Brittain
- Brittaine
- Brittan
- Brittane
- Brittean
- Britten
- Britteon
- Brittin
- Britton
- Broaden
- Broadin
- Broden
- Brodin
- Brotan
- Broten
- Broton
- Brotton
- Brouhton
- Broutin
- Brouton
- Browden
- Browton
- Broyden
- Broydon
- Brton
- Bruden
- Brudon
- Brueten
- Brueton
- Brutane
- Bruten
- Brutin
- Bruton
- Brutton
- Brydan
- Bryden
- Brydon
- Brydone
- Brytan
- Bryton
- Burattini
- Burdan
- Burden
- Burdin
- Burdon
- Bureton
- Burtan
- Burten
- Burthon
- Burtin
- Burton
- Burtone
- Burtons
- Burtton
- Burtun
- Button
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Barton in...
Braille
⠃⠁⠗⠞⠕⠝
Morse
-....-.-.-----.
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Barton are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Chocolate Hobnob.
There are approximately 30,641 people named Barton in the UK. That makes it the 261st most common surname in Britain. Around 471 in a million people in Britain are named Barton.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Barton
- Mischa Barton - -American actress
- Joey Barton - Football player and manager
- Warren Barton - Football player
- Alan Barton - Musician (1953 to 1995)
- Stephen Barton - Composer
- Tony Barton - Football player and manager (1937 to 1993)
- John Barton - Theologian
- John Barton - Theatre director (1928 to 2018)
- John Barton - Businessman
- Margaret Barton - Actress
- Nick Barton - Biologist
- Adam Barton - Football player
- Cyril Joe Barton - Recipient of the Victoria Cross (1921 to 1944)
- Derek Barton - Organic chemist (1918 to 1998)
- Chris Barton - Actor and singer
- Peter Barton - Historian and author
- Rosemary Barton - Politician from Northern Ireland
- Bernard Barton - Writer (1784 to 1849)
- Richard Barton - Settler in New Zealand (1790 to 1866)
- Robin Barton -
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.