Surname Barran - Meaning and Origin
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Barran: What does the surname Barran mean?
The last name Barran is believed to be of Irish and Scottish origin. It is thought that the name may be derived from the Gaelic word 'borran', which means 'heap' or 'ridge'. This suggests that the name may have been applied to someone who lived near a hill or heap of stones. The surname is also thought to be linked to the Irish surname 'O' Beirne', or a variant of it.
In Scotland, the clan of Barran was associated with the MacDuff surname, and were prominent in the area of Banffshire. According to legend, they were followers of Fergus, a fifth-century King of Scots, who were awarded lands in the North.
In Ireland, the surname Barran is derived from the Irish surname 'O' Berne', but this may be a modern corruption of the long-established Gaelic name 'O' Birne'. The 'O' prefix denoted an ancestor who was a descendant of Brian, a tenth-century High King of Ireland.
The Barran surname has also been found in other areas of Britain including England, where many of the Barran family moved in the 19th century. The name may be derived from Old Norse and may mean 'son of a boor'. This could refer to the peasant farmer or land worker of medieval Britain.
Whatever its origin, the Barran surname has been around for centuries in Ireland and Scotland, and is associated with a long and distinguished history.
Order DNA origin analysisBarran: Where does the name Barran come from?
The last name Barran is commonly found in four countries: England, Canada, the United States, and Scotland. In England, the Barran name is most frequently found in Lancashire county, where it is the 886th most common surname. In Canada, the Barran name is most frequent in Ontario, where it is the 2567th most common surname. In the United States, it is most frequent in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Those states account for most of the occurrences of the last name.
In Scotland, the Barran name is most commonly found in the Orkney Islands, a group of islands off the coast of Scotland and home to the Barrans since the early 17th century. The Barran name is roughly the 1149th most frequent surname in the Orkney Islands.
Regardless of the country, the Barran name is often associated with being English in origin and having descended from one of the Barran families of Lancashire in England.
Variations of the surname Barran
The surname Barran is an old French family name that originated in western Normandy. Its variants and spellings include Baran, Barranne, Barraine, Barrains, Baran, Barrains, Barranne, Barrane, Barraine, Barranes, Barranis, Barranos, Baranowski, and Baranuel.
The surname Barran is also found in some places as De Barran or D'Barran, derived from the Latin de Barrin which is the root of the family name's French pedigree and has a similar meaning to the other variations.
Another variant of the Barran surname is. Baranie. It is derived from the Latin Barreius, a personal name frequently found in Spanish and Portuguese records. This surname was also used in the Latin form as Barreius, as Vocel Barani, or was even recorded as, Boarello.
The Barran family name is also encountered as Barand, Barrand, Barriand, Barrien, Barries or Barrians. These forms are derived from the Scottish form of Barran, which is likely derived from the French form.
The variations in spelling among the same family name depend upon the cultural region in which it is found. For example, in the United States and Canada, the unfinished “e” at the end of Barran is often dropped, like in Barran or Barranos. Also, as some families immigrated from their native countries, their given name and surname both changed depending on language, customs, and tastes which varied among the various destinations. In the case of some Barrans, their original Heraldic Coats have also changed, as some countries dropped the ornamental detailing from the original design.
The Barran surname may also be found in the form of Barane, Berran, Berron, Boran, Borron, Bourran, Bourn, Bournier, Bourrillon, Bouveron and many other variants.
Famous people with the name Barran
- Jamelia Barran: English singer, songwriter, television presenter, and rapper
- Petagay Barran: American jazz violinist
- Judith Barran: English actress
- Bill Barran: Professional Bass angler and tournament contestant
- Juan de Dios Barran: Spanish architect and sculptor, better known for his work in Buenos Aires (Argentina)
- Leonor Barran: Cuban neurologist and neurophysiologist
- Jairo Barran: Colombian football player
- Eglantina Barran: Venezuelan ceramist
- María-José Barran: Venezuelan liver specialist
- Andy Barran: American wildlife biologist