Origin and Meaning of the name Barber
BARBER is a professional name, refering to a person whose occupation was a barber, although in the middle ages this may have also referred to someone who carried out the functions of a doctor or dentist as well!
My father had always been led to believe that Barber was the maiden name of his grandmother, Rebecca Pearson. He believed that her husband had been killed in the first World War and that Rebecca and her two children, Jack and Ernie had lived with Rebecca's family, the Barbers of Black Dyke Farm, Arnside, Westmorland from that moment on.
It was only when my granfather died and his papers passed to my father that we discovered that there is no father's name on his birth certificate and that Rebecca Pearson was never married.
The Barbers were obviously linked to the Pearsons in some way and my main aim was to discover just what that link was.
Adrian Philip Pearson adrianpp@hotmail.com
Richard Barber
Richard Barber married my great grandmother's sister,Betsy Pearson b. 1870 and they lived at Black Dyke Farm, Arnside, Westmorland.
Dick and Lizzie Barber
Richard and Besy's son, Dick Barber married Lizzie and had a sheep farm at Quernmore in North Lancashire. Betsy's brother, who never married, "Uncle John" William Pearson lived with them there.Barbers on the 1881 Census
Looking at the 1881 census, Barber is not a common name in Westmorland. The only Barber family found has no Richard:
Dwelling: Wind Yeats
Census Place: Hutton Roof, Westmorland, England
Source: FHL Film 1342256 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 5210 Folio 74 Page 3
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
John BARBER M 51 M Newton Cartmel, Lancashire, England
Rel: Head
Occ: Farmer
Ann BARBER M 44 F Lupton, Westmorland, England
Rel: Wife
Occ: Farmer Wife
John T. BARBER U 21 M Lupton, Westmorland, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Farmer Son
Margret BARBER U 18 F Lupton, Westmorland, England
Rel: Daur
Occ: Farmer Daur
Sarah A. BARBER U 12 F Hutton Roof, Westmorland, England
Rel: Daur
Occ: Farmer Daur
Edward BARBER U 10 M Hutton Roof, Westmorland, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Frances M. BARBER 3 F Hutton Roof, Westmorland,
England
Rel: Daur
Occ: Infant
However, the interesting thing is that there is a John Thomas Barber, aged 21! Is it just a coincidence that my grandfather was also called John Thomas or could John Thomas Barber have been his father?
To find a Richard Barber we have to go to nearby Lancashire:
Insititution: "Union Workhouse"
Census Place: Lancaster, Lancashire, England
Source: FHL Film 1342020 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 4265 Folio 88 Page 58
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Richard (Sen) BARBER W 46 M Lancaster, Lancashire, England
Rel: (Pauper) Head
Occ: Formerly Shoemaker
Richard BARBER 12 M Preston, Lancashire, England
Rel: Pauper's son
Occ: Scholar
Betsy BARBER 10 F Lancaster, Lancashire, England
Rel: Pauper's daur
Occ: Scholar
Mary BARBER 7 F Lancaster, Lancashire, England
Rel: Pauper's daur
Occ: Scholar
Dwelling: Newton In Cartmel
Census Place: Upper Allithwaite, Lancashire, England
Source: FHL Film 1342021 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 4275 Folio 132 Page 4
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Margaret BARBER W 74 F Lindale In Cartmel, Lancashire, England
Rel: Head
Occ: Cottager
Richard BARBER U 30 M Headhouse, Lancashire, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Labourer
These are all the Barbers I have been able to find in the area on the 1881 census and although the 30 year old Richard in Cartmel seems too old to be the one I am looking for, I feel sure there is some relationship. Cartmel is very near Arnside and Betsy Pearson is buried in Cartmel priory cemetry. Also John Barber, living in Hutton Roof is from Newton Catmel which is where the last Barber family is living.
Click above to view my Barber Family Group Sheets
Barber Surname Noticeboard at Genforum
Barber Surname Noticeboard at Rootsweb.com
If you have or know of a website dedicated to the Barber Surname, please let me know so that I can include a link on this page.