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Irish surname

Barry: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

de Barra · Norman 'de Barri', i.e. 'of Barri, probably in Normandy'

Woulfe (1923) gives Barry as de Barra, from Norman 'de Barri', 'one of the oldest and most illustrious of the Anglo-Norman families in Ireland', always specially associated with Co. Cork. He also gives two Gaelic names anglicised Barry: Ó Báire of West Cork and Ó Beargha of Co. Limerick. In 1890 Barry was Ireland's 71st commonest surname, about 9,700 people.

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Coat of arms associated with the Barry surname
Irish formde Barra
MeaningNorman 'de Barri', i.e. 'of Barri, probably in Normandy'
CountiesCork, Limerick, Waterford, Wexford
Other spellings3

Origin of the Barry name

Anglo-Norman: in 1179 Robert FitzStephen granted his nephew Philip de Barry three cantreds now the baronies of Barrymore, Orrery and Kinelea. Gaelic: Ó Báire, a Corca Laoighdhe family of Muntervary, West Cork; Ó Beargha, lords of Iveross (barony of Kenry), Co. Limerick, to whom 'many of the Barrys of East Limerick' belong.[1][2][3]

  1. 1169Robert de Barry comes to Ireland with his uncle FitzStephen.[4]
  2. 1179Philip de Barry granted three cantreds by his uncle Robert FitzStephen.[1]
  3. 1185Robert de Barry falls in battle at Lismore.[4]
  4. 1207King John confirms the grant to William de Barry.[1]
  5. 1617David FitzJames de Barry, Viscount Buttevant, dies at Barryscourt.[5]
  6. 1824Family honours extinct on death of Henry Barry, 8th Earl of Barrymore.[6]
  7. 1890217 Barry births, chiefly Cork (about half), Limerick and Waterford.[9]

Where in Ireland

Co. CorkName 'specially associated' with Cork; in 1890 Cork alone held about half of all Barry entries.[1][9]
Co. LimerickÓ Beargha, lords of Iveross in Kenry; many East Limerick Barrys are of this race (Woulfe).[3]
Co. WaterfordAmong the three counties where Barry was principally found in 1890.[9]
Co. WexfordWoulfe: 'There was also a family of the name in Co. Wexford.'[1]

Notable people named Barry

Robert de Barryd. 1185Anglo-Norman knight in the 1169 expedition; his bravery earned him the cognomen 'Barrymore'.[4]
David FitzJames de Barry, Viscount Buttevantd. 1617Sat in Perrot's parliament of 1585; appointed to the Council for Munster in 1615.[5]
James Barry1741–1806Artist born in Cork; Professor of Painting at the Royal Academy; buried in St Paul's.[7]
Commodore John Barry1745–1803Born near Tacumshin, Co. Wexford; naval commander for the United States in the War of Independence.[8]

Other spellings

de Barry · O Barry · Barrie[1]

The Barry coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Barry surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Barry crest gifts

Clan Barry Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapXJ47 Classic Cap - Barry Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Barry Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap$42.45Clan Barry Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap HL34 Barry Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Barry Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap$33.45

Barry surname: questions

Is Barry an Irish or Norman name?

Both. Woulfe gives de Barra, an Anglo-Norman family from 'de Barri', and also two Gaelic families anglicised Barry: Ó Báire of West Cork and Ó Beargha of Co. Limerick.[1][2][3]

What does the surname Barry mean?

As a Norman name, 'of Barri, probably in Normandy'. Ó Báire is 'descendant of Báire' (short for Barrfhionn or Fionnbharr, fair-head); Ó Beargha is 'descendant of Beargha' (spear-like).[1][2][3]

Where in Ireland is the Barry name from?

Co. Cork above all: in 1890 Cork held about half of all Barry births, followed by Limerick and Waterford. The 1179 de Barry grant is now represented by the baronies of Barrymore, Orrery and Kinelea.[9][1]

Who was Commodore John Barry?

Born near Tacumshin, Co. Wexford, in 1745, he held a naval command from Congress in the War of Independence and has been called by some naval writers 'the father of the American navy'. He died in 1803.[8]

Sources

  1. De Barra — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/d/de-barra.php
  2. Ó Báire — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/ob/o-baire.php
  3. Ó Beargha — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/ob/o-beargha.php
  4. Robert De Barry — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/RobertDeBarry.php
  5. David FitzJames De Barry — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/DavidFitzJamesDeBarry.php
  6. David FitzDavid De Barry — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/DavidFitzDavidDeBarry.php
  7. James Barry — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/JamesBarry.php
  8. Commodore John Barry — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/CommodoreJohnBarry.php
  9. Barry — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/barry.php

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).