This surname is derived from an occupation. 'the barber,' one who trimmed or shaved beards; v. Barbour.

Thomas le Barbitonsor. Placitorum in domo capitulari Westmonasteriensi.

William le Barbitonsor. Rolls of Parliament.

Henry le Barbur, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

Alexander le Barbur, London, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Henry le Barber, Oxfordshire, ibid.

Richard Barbitonsor, Oxfordshire, ibid.

John le Barber, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Geoffrey le Barbir, Huntingdonshire, ibid.

1543. John Sturley and Agnes Barbor: Marriage Lic. (Faculty Office).

From the occupation of barber, ME. harbour, a barber (and surgeon). Gilbert le Barber or Barbour and Michael le Barber were Scots prisoners taken at Dunbar Castle in 1296 (Bain, 11,742, 801), and Aleyn le Barbur of the county of Arne rendered homage in the same year (ibid., p. 205). In 1305 John Barbitonsor rendered the accounts for the farm of Mountros (ER., p. 438). William Barbitonsor had confirmation of a charter of lands in 1317 (REB., II, 5), Robert Bruce granted to Ade Barbitonsor a toft in Moffat with two bovates of land adjoining (RMS., I, 36, 37), and in 1328 there is entry of a payment to Andrew Barber (ER., I, p. 98). In 1329 there is entry of a payment to Ade barbitonsor mentioned in another place as Alanus barber (ibid., p. 178,214). Robert le Barber forfeited tenements in Borthwyk and Myntowe in 1336 (Bain, III, 321), Philip Barbour granted a charter in favor of his aunt in Aberdeen in 1383 (Friars, p. 20), John Barbour, archdeacon of Aberdeen, author of the "Brus," witnessed an instrument of concord between the bishop of Aberdeen and John de Forbes dominus ejusdem in 1391 (REA., I, p. 189). William Barber is a witness to the document. Robert Barber was presbyter of the diocese of Aberdeen in 1410 (REB., I, p. 27), John Barbitonsor of France was admitted burgess of Aberdeen, 1451 (NSCM., I, p. 13) and John Gray abas Barbour, a native of Edinburgh, had letters of denisation in England in 1463 (Bain, IV, 1336). A deliverance was made to Clappertoun Barbour for his fee in 1556 (Kelso, 480), Agnes Barber is recorded in Neither Barleyo in 1677 (Kirkcudbright), and George Barber of Turriff served in the first Great War (Turriff). Barbor 1625, Berbur 1500, Barbere 1365.

(Anglo-French-Latin) Hairdresser.

[Middle English barbour, barbur, barber, Old French barbeor, Low Latin barbator; Latin barba, a beard] The barbour and the bocher and the smyth. -Chaucer, Cant. Tales, A 2025.

(English) The hairdresser; one who practiced surgery, i.e., acted as a bloodletter.

The occupation. Le Barbur. Barbator, H. R.

A dresser of the hair and beard.

A name of trade, one who shaves and dresses hair.

From St. Barbe sur Gaillon; a location name. in Normandy, where was the celebrated abbey of St. Barbara; or from the French, Barbe, Barbiaux, Barbry; from the Dutch, Barbe; from the German, Barber; a personal name.

Bernard Barb and de Barbes, tenants in the Domesday Book, St. Barbe is on the Roll of Battell Abbey. William de St. Barbara, Bishop of Durham, A.D. 1143. Barber or Barbour, a hamlet in Dumbartonshire; or from the French, Barbier, Barbieur; a personal name.

Barber: Till the year 1745 every surgeon was a member of the Barbers’ Company. The surname of Surgeon is not often met with, but that of Barber is very common. Mr. Camden Hotten, in his book on “Signboards,” quotes these lines: “His pole with pewter basons hung, Black, rotten teeth in order strung, Rang’d cups that in the window stood, Lined with red rags to look like blood, Did well his threefold trade explain, Who shaved, drew teeth, and breathed a vein.”

From the barber we get Barbour and Barbor.