Barna
A surname with several possible origins, most likely from a personal name or a nickname, and also found in Hungarian and related traditions.
The #9,258 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 87,812 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Barna can arise from more than one source, so it is not a single-origin surname. In Hungarian, barna means “brown,” which makes it plausible as a nickname surname for someone with dark hair, complexion, or clothing. In some northern European material, similar forms are linked to old personal names or nickname formations, but the evidence in the excerpts is incidental rather than a direct surname explanation.
History
The surname is found in several European naming traditions, which makes its history patchy rather than straightforward. In English-language records, Barna is relatively uncommon, while in Hungary it is much more natural as a word-based surname. The form may also overlap with other names that look similar in older Scandinavian and regional sources, so some bearers may have unrelated origins.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because barna is a common everyday word in Hungarian meaning “brown,” the surname can look almost like a plain adjective rather than a family name.
From the historical record
“Brodd-Helgi Barna, n.n. BjarnvarSr. See BorgillSr (f.)”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (2nd ed.)