The Baret Family Name

Behind the Baret surname stands Barrett, an Irish name that clerks and families wrote in more than one way. Before spelling was fixed, Barrett was also written Baret. Surname dictionaries give the meaning as “Norman, perhaps from Old French barat ("trouble, deceit")”. Local scribes, dialects and emigration all left their mark on how the name was written.

You may also find the name written Barret and Barat.

A coat of arms belongs to a particular family line rather than to everyone named Baret, so the heraldry linked to Barrett is a starting point, not an automatic right. For the full story, order the Baret surname pack.