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There are approximately 14,126 people named Barclay in the UK. That makes it the 719th most common surname overall. Out of every million people in the UK, approximately 224 are named Barclay.

Region of origin

British Isles

Country of origin

Scotland

Language of origin

Gaelic

Religion of origin

Christian

Classification

Celtic


Related and similar surnames

Berkley
Barkley
Berkeley
Barcal
Barcalow
Barcklay
Bairclay
Barckla
Barcklae
Barcalay
Baraclay
Barcklaw
Barcclat
Barcaly
Barcelay
Barcallay
Barcklage
Barcally
Barckland
Barcela
Barcala
Barcalla
Barcelas
Barcella
Barckeley

The Barclay surname in historical dictionaries

An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857)

(origin: Sax. Local) A corruption of Berkeley; a town in Gloucestershire, England, derived from the Saxon beorce, a beech-tree, and leagh or ley, a field, and so called because of the plenty of beech-trees growing there.

Arthur, William (1857) An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. New York: Sheldon, Blakeman. Public Domain.

Patronymica Britannica (1860)

BARCLAY. We find a Theobald de Berlceley, probabi}' an offshoot of the English family, settled in Scotland, so early as temp. David I. Fourth in descent from him Avas Alex, de B., who married the heiress of Mathers, and wrote himself De Berkeley of Slathers. His great grandjou Alex, clianged the spelling to Barclay in the XV. century. Geneal. Ace. of Barclays of Ury.

Lower, Mark A (1860) Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom. London: J.R. Smith. Public Domain.

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