Barrettes in North America

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: Barrette

My great grandfather, John Dunsworth Barrette came to America from Ireland. According to his obituary he landed in New Orleans in 1845 and family lore says he lived previously in Baltimore, County Cork. He is listed in the 1860 US census as living in Thibadaux, Louisiana and in the US censuses from 1870 through 1910 as living in Davenport, Iowa. He died in 1915 in Davenport,

There is very little information available about his origins (brickwall). He could be descended from the Norman conquerors of Southern Ireland in 1069 or his family could have come from France to Ireland some time later. The name is definitely French in origin and refers to someone who makes hats. The name Barrett (without the "e") is fairly common in Ireland, particularly in County Cork and may be a shortening of Barrette to better suit the English language. John Barrette was a Protestant in America, unlike most Barrettes and Barretts who belonged to the Catholic faith. In the census data John's surname is given without the "e" in 1860 and 1870 then with the "e" afterwards. It is possible that he added it as some kind of affectation or that he did not understand the way that the census taker wrote it down until 1880. I don't know, but the "e" has stuck for all generations that came after him.

There are currently (11/17/2015) 131 Barrettes listed in Wikitree. Aside from the descendants of John Dunsworth Barrette, almost all of them live in Canada and trace their ancestry directly back to France. There is a Barrette family Facebook page here. A list of John Dunsworth Barrette's descendants on Wikitree is here.

My Barrette Ancestry

This is a list of my Barrette ancestors as far as I can go. You are welcome to add a list of your ancestors as well.

• Katharine Barrette Chadwick born in Detroit, Michigan, 1896
• John Davenport Barrette born in Thibodaux, Louisiana, 1862
• John Dunsworth Barrette born in Baltimore, Cork, Ireland, 1825

Census Data for John D. Barrette

• 1850 United States Census

There are several John Barretts living in Louisiana in 1850. The most likely seems to be the John Barrett living in New Orleans, ward 3 (2nd municipality), Orleans, Louisiana, in what appears to be a rooming house. The problem is that his age is given as 23, not 25, but his birthplace is Ireland and no other person in the census is this close in age. However, right after him is listed a Mrs. Barrett, age 22, and John Barrett was not known to have been married until 1855. The only other John Barrett, also born in Ireland and living in New Orleans, is given as age 30. Given the frequency of errors in the census records he could be either one of these, or neither.

• 1860 United States Census:

J. Daniel Barrett [name different, but all other facts check]; Age: 35; Occupation: Cooper; Place of Birth: Ir[e]land

Marguerit E. Barrett; Age:32; Place of Birth: Ir[e]land

Lydia Oakes Barrett; Age: 6 Place of Birth: Louisiana

George M. Barrett; Age: 4; Place of Birth: Louisiana

Mary S. Barrett; Age: 2; Place of Birth: Louisiana

Female Infant Barrett; Age: 0; Place of Birth: Louisiana

• 1870 United States Census

John Barrett; Age: 45; Occupation: Cooper; Place of Birth: Ireland

Margaret Barrett; Age: 38[?]; Occupation: Keeping house; Place of Birth: Ireland

Leda [Lydia] Barrette; Age: 16; Place of Birth: Louisiana

George Barrett; Age: 14; Place of Birth: Louisiana

Mary Barrett; Age: 12; Place of Birth: Louisiana

Kate Barrett; Age: 9; Place of Birth: Louisiana [Probably Infant Barrette of 1860.]

John Barrett; Age: 8; Place of Birth: Louisiana

Magret [Margaret] Barrett; Age 5; Place of Birth: Illinois

William Barrett; Age: 3; Place of Birth: Iowa

Benjamin Barrett; Age: 0; Place of Birth: Iowa {Benjamin does not appear in subsequent censuses and presumably died before age 10.)

• 1880 United States Census

John Barrette; Age: 56; Occupation: Cooper; Place of Birth: Ireland; Father's Place of Birth: Ireland; Mother's Place of Birth: Ireland

Margaret Barrette; Age: 50; Occupation: Keeping House; Place of Birth: Ireland; Father's Place of Birth: Ireland; Mother's Place of Birth: Ireland

George Barrette [he matches William from 1870]; Age: 13; Occupation: At School; Place of Birth: Iowa

Lydia Barrette; Age: 25; Occupation: School Teacher; Place of Birth: Iowa[?]

Mary Barrette; Age: 22; Occupation: School Teacher; Place of Birth: Louisiana

Catherine Barrette; Age: 19; Occupation: School Teacher; Place of Birth: Louisiana

Maggie Barrette; Age: 15; Occupation: At School; Place of Birth: Illinois

• 1900 United States Census

John Barrette; Age: 75; Occupation: Gardener; Place of Birth: Ireland; Father's Place of Birth: Ireland; Mother's Place of Birth: Ireland

Margaret Barrette; Age: 71; Place of Birth: Ireland; Father's Place of Birth: Ireland; Mother's Place of Birth: Ireland

Margaret Barrette; Age: 34; Occupation: School Teacher; Place of Birth: Illinois

This same census page lists George Barrette, age 44, with his own family but in the same house.

• 1910 US Census

John C.[?] Barrette; Age: 85; Place of Birth: Illinois[?]; Father's Place of Birth: Ireland; Mother's Place of Birth: Ireland

Margarethe Barrette; Age: 82; Place of Birth: Illinois[?]; Father's Place of Birth: Ireland; Mother's Place of Birth: Ireland

Liedia[Lydia] Barrette; Age: 44; Place of Birth: Illinois; Father's Place of Birth: Illinois; Mother's Place of Birth: Illinois; Occupation: Bookkeeper

Eva Barrette; Age: 54; Place of Birth: Iowa; Father's Place of Birth: Illinois; Mother's Place of Birth: Illinois; Occupation: Stenographer [This person is a mystery. She is listed as a daughter of John and Margaret, but she has never shown up before.]

George Barrette; Age: 50; Place of Birth: Iowa; Father's Place of Birth: Illinois; Mother's Place of Birth: Illinois; Occupation: RR Conductor

Then there is another Georg[e] Barrette, living in the same house, age 54, born in Louisiana with his parent's born in Ireland, whose occupation as also bookkeeper, and his wife and daughter. He matches with the previous George Barrette.