Is Barrett a welthy Irish family?

Question

Hey, there.

My last name is Barrett and I live in a French(Canadian) community. Most of the people here cannot spell my last name correctly, they spell it Barrete or Bareett. I always say, "You guys don't know how to spell Barrett!? They're one of the richest family in Ireland, they have their own song(Barrett privateers)."

So my question is am I a liar in saying Barrett's are at least a well known family?

Answer 1

I would say local pirates would be fairly well known in their community.  LOL  So you are telling the truth, but I am not sure I would want to brag about my ancestors being pirates....

Answer 2

Search on Clan Barrett in Ireland.

One of the earliest came over with Strongbow.  (A person, not the beer).

Answer 3

Ingo is not experienced in research, I can see.

Your ancestry depends on where your ancestors come from.. end of story. YOU have to trace them back with legitimate and valid records.  Ingo has no clue where your family is from, unless he has done the research.

As for Barretts being a "well known family".. I think that is an exaggeration on your part.  I would be convinced that there are Barretts in Ireland (or elsewhere) that are well to do, and some that probably live in poverty.  And without research.. you will not know which ones you are POSSIBLY related to.

Regards to French accents and pronounciation.. my kids are Dolphays.. which happens to be how Dauphinais got stomped on and spit out, when the ancestor came from Quebec to Minn.

Hang out a while.. and maybe we can entice you into doing some good research, and getting solid info. And no, not understanding genealogy is not calling you a liar.  *smile*

Answer 4

your name is french origian. the way of spelling varys to ones likeing. irish that name is not whether you like it or not. sorry, wishful thinking !

Answer 5

You are assuming that everyone with the same surname are related and shares ancestors and that is not necessarily correct.

However, if you look at the definition for Barrett on Ancestry.Com you will see descriptions given that closely resemble a privateer. Also it could come from French meaning cap or bonnett.  

A privateer was considered to a little above a pirate.

Try this link:

http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/defa...

Answer 6

Barrett Privateers was just written in about 1976.  The Sherbrooke it refers to is in Nova Scotia.  

There are Barretts in Ireland.  There are also Barretts in England, Wales, Canada and America (at least).  That's about all you can say.  It's a fairly common last name.