History of your Surname
Get access to Barnsley family records.Start a free trial

Barnsley Family History

Barnsley Name Meaning

English (West Midlands): habitational name from any of several places so called such as Barnsley (Yorkshire) Barnsley (Gloucestershire) and Barnsleyhall in Bromsgrove (Worcestershire). The places are named from Old English lēah ‘wood glade clearing’ preceded by one of several personal names in the genitive case with -es. In Yorkshire the personal name is Beorn; in Gloucestershire and possibly Worcestershire it is Beornmōd. Compare Bardsley

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


Similar surnames: Farnsley, Bardsley, Barley, Parsley, Wansley, Ansley, Hansley

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Barnsley family from?

You can see how Barnsley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Barnsley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Barnsley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 4 Barnsley families living in Maryland. This was about 57% of all the recorded Barnsley's in USA. Maryland had the highest population of Barnsley families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Barnsley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Barnsley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Barnsley. 67% of Barnsley men worked as a Farmer and 60% of Barnsley women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Barnsley were Labor and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Barnsley | 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 1940

  • Farmer
    67%
  • Labor
    34%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    60%
  • Stenographer
    40%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Barnsley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 21,000 census records available for the last name Barnsley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Barnsley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Barnsley

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Barnsley. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Barnsley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Barnsley. For the veterans among your Barnsley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Barnsley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Barnsley family history

Discover More

What is the average Barnsley lifespan?

Between 1962 and 2004, in the United States, Barnsley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1969, and highest in 1987. The average life expectancy for Barnsley in 1962 was 53, and 88 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Barnsley

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Barnsley family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Barnsley last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial