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Barrow Surname Meaning & Origin

What the Barrow last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.

Barrow coat of arms associated with the surname, painted by Herald Lab
Barrow coat of arms, painted by Herald Lab. Watermarked preview.

Meaning and origin of the Barrow last name

Meaning of the Barrow last name: grove or hill. Barrow, as an English surname, described where a family lived: beside a grove (Old English bearu) or a rounded hill (beorg). Towns such as Barrow-in-Furness gave the same last name to people who left them. Lancashire holds many bearers, and so does the American South.

Arms associated with the Barrow name

Coats of arms associated with the Barrow surname follow English heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.

Get your full Barrow family history

This is only a glimpse of the Barrow story. The full Barrow history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Barrow coat of arms. Get the full Barrow report.

Barrow name FAQ

What does the Barrow name mean?

grove or hill. Common variants include Barrowe, Barrows.

Where does the Barrow surname come from?

It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.

Is there a Barrow coat of arms?

Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Barrow coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.

Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).