Surname Barnaby - Meaning and Origin

Barnaby: What does the surname Barnaby mean?

The surname Barnaby is of Hebrew origin and is derived from the personal name Barnabas. Barnabas was a companion of the Apostle Paul in the New Testament of the Bible, and his name is believed to mean "son of consolation" or "son of exhortation". Some sources even translate it as "son of the prophet".

In English, this first name became Barnaby and was commonly used in the Middle Ages. Over time, Barnaby also developed into a surname. Like many surnames that originated from first names, it was likely first used to identify "son of Barnaby" or perhaps "servant of Barnaby".

It's important to note that surnames can have multiple origins and interpretations depending on geographical regions and evolving language use. Therefore, while this is a generally accepted interpretation of the meaning and origin of the surname Barnaby, there may be other interpretations as well.

Barnaby: Where does the name Barnaby come from?

The surname Barnaby is of both Hebrew and English origin. It was originally derived from the personal name 'Barnabas', a name of Biblical origins. Barnabas was an early Christian disciple in Jerusalem, known for his generosity and his missionary journeys in the New Testament. In England, it started as a baptismal name, 'the son of Barnabas'.

The surname Barnaby is relatively rare today and distributed sporadically around the world. According to internet surname databases, it is most common in the United States, England, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In the United States, it tends to be concentrated in the states of New York and Pennsylvania, while in England, it is most prevalent in Yorkshire. Numerically, however, there are more individuals with the surname Barnaby in the United States than any other country. Despite this, it is important to note that it is not a common last name in any of these countries. Due to the dispersal of English speaking people in the past centuries, it might also occur in former English colonies.

Variations of the surname Barnaby

The surname Barnaby has several variations and is derived from the Hebrew personal name Barnabas. The surnames Barnabie or Barnabye can be seen as simple spelling variants of Barnaby. Additionally, the surname can be found in the forms Barnabee or Barnabe, which were influenced by a French bearing of the name.

Another variant of the surname is Barnable which came from a Norman nickname Barnabas used in England after the Norman Conquest. Barnby and Barnsbee are considered phonetic variants. The name could also morph into Barnabas and variants like Barnabus, Bernabas, or Bernabus.

It's worth noting that the name Barnabas has a biblical origin, as it belonged to an early Christian disciple in Jerusalem, enhancing the spread of this name across different cultures and languages. Variants of the name in different languages can lead to additional surnames of similar origin, such as Barneba in Spanish or Barnaba in Italian.

The variations in spelling and use of the name Barnaby over centuries and across geographical locations have led to this wide array of surnames of the same origin.

Famous people with the name Barnaby

• Tom Barnaby, a lead character in the British television show Midsomer Murders.
• Robert Barnaby, a jazz musician.
• Trilby Barnaby, a British actor and singer-songwriter.
• Matthew Barnaby, a former professional hockey player.
• Horace Barnaby, a British engineer and inventor.
• Jeremiah Barnaby, an English politician and philanthropist.
• Gavin Barnaby, a character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders.
• Robert Barnaby Jr., a composer and music producer.
• Marion Barnaby, a British singer-songwriter and actor.
• Charles Barnaby, an English writer and poet.
• Jonathan Barnaby, an English actor and producer.
• Roger Barnaby, a British actor and director.
• William Barnaby, a former Prime Minister of Great Britain.
• Olive Barnaby, a character from the book The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
• Austin Barnaby, an Australian actor and singer.
• Ophelia Barnaby, a character from the Netflix series A Series of Unfortunate Events.
• George Barnaby, a former British Ambassador to the United States.
• Barbara Barnaby, an English stage and screen actress.
• Henry Barnaby, a British politician and barrister.
• Bernard Barnaby, a British painter and sculptor.

Other surnames

BarnacleBarnaneBarnardBarnatBarnatby