The Barlow Family History

What Does the Barlow Surname Mean? Historical Origins Explained

The surname Barlow, of English origin, is derived from the Old English components ‘bere’ and ‘hlaw,’ which translate to barley and hill, respectively. This suggests a connection to the cultivation or preservation of barley, or it may signify an individual residing on a barren hill. Variations of the surname Barlow include Barloe, Barlo, and Barlowe. Geographically, the Barlow surname is distributed throughout much of England, including some regions of Wales. However, it is particularly concentrated in the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire. In Scotland, the highest concentrations of Barlow families can be found in Lanarkshire, Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, Fife, Midlothian, Angus, and Banffshire. In the United States, early settlers bearing the Barlow surname primarily established themselves in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Noteworthy individuals associated with the Barlow surname include Ken Barlow, a professional football player; Lou Barlow, a musician; Peter Barlow, a 19th-century English scientist known for his development of the Barlow lens for astronomical purposes and the creation of Barlow's Wheel, an early electric motor; Thomas Barlow, a professional basketball player; William Barlow, an early 19th-century pioneer to Oregon and founder of the town of Barlow; Stephen Barlow, an English conductor and composer; Billy Barlow, a Canadian professional ice hockey player; Gary Barlow, an English singer, music producer, and songwriter; Patrick Barlow, an English actor; Kevan Barlow, a professional football player; and John Perry Barlow, co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.