Convert US Survey Foot to Barleycorn
Convert us survey feet to barleycorns instantly. 1 us survey foot = 36.0000718584 barleycorn — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Barleycorn to US Survey Foot converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
US Survey Foot
The US Survey Foot is a legacy unit of length defined as exactly 1200/3937 meters (approximately 0.3048006 m). It differs from the modern international foot by about 2 parts per million.
Established in the United States by the Mendenhall Order of 1893, which defined the foot in terms of the meter as 1200/3937 m. The US continued using this value for surveying even after the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement standardized the international foot at exactly 0.3048 m.
Used in US land surveying, geodetic measurements, state plane coordinate systems, and legal land descriptions. The US Survey Foot was officially deprecated by NIST and NOAA effective December 31, 2022, with the international foot becoming the sole US standard. Legacy data and recorded land surveys still reference it.
Mendenhall Order of 1893 defined the foot as 1200/3937 m; persisted in US surveying after 1959; officially deprecated by NIST/NOAA as of December 31, 2022.
Barleycorn
A barleycorn is an Imperial unit of length equal to one third of an inch (about 8.47 mm). It is the basis of UK shoe sizing and is one of the oldest English length units still in use.
The barleycorn derives from the average length of a grain of barley as a natural reference. Standardised at exactly 1/3 inch by the Statute of Edward II in 1324, which used three barleycorns to define an inch.
Barleycorns are the foundation of UK and US children's shoe sizing — each whole size differs by one barleycorn. Also occasionally referenced in horse-handling and historical English literature.
Standardised in 1324 by the Statute of Edward II at 1/3 inch; the value became exact in 1959 when the inch was fixed at 25.4 mm.
US Survey Foot to Barleycorn conversion formula
Note: this conversion uses a generally accepted modern value. Historical and regional definitions of this unit varied across times and places.
The relationship between us survey feet and barleycorns:
To convert us survey feet to barleycorns, multiply the value in us survey feet by 36.0000718584. To reverse, multiply barleycorns by 0.0277777223.
How to use this converter
Type a value into the calculator. The result in barleycorns updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Barleycorn to US Survey Foot converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert us survey feet to barleycorns
- Write down the value in us survey feet (sft).
- Multiply that value by the factor 36.0000718584.
- The product is the equivalent value in barleycorns (barleycorn).
- To reverse, multiply the barleycorn value by 0.0277777223.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 sft to barleycorn:
1 × 36.0000718584 = 36.0000718584 barleycorn
Example 2 — Convert 100 sft to barleycorn:
100 × 36.0000718584 = 3600.0071858411 barleycorn
Real-world example — Body height conversion (reverse direction)
You measure 1.75 us survey feet tall and need to fill in a gym membership form or medical record that asks for height in barleycorns. This is the most-used everyday length conversion in metric-using countries.
1.75 sft × 36.0000718584 = 63.0001257522 barleycorn
Real-world example — Pet and accessory dimensions
A 3-us survey foot dog leash equals a tidy round value in barleycorns. Pet-supply shopping frequently mixes the two units across product specifications.
3 sft × 36.0000718584 = 108.0002155752 barleycorn
Real-world example — Fabric and tailoring
One us survey foot of fabric converts to a value in barleycorns commonly used for seam allowances. Garment patterns frequently switch between the two units on a single instruction sheet.
1 sft × 36.0000718584 = 36.0000718584 barleycorn
US Survey Foot to Barleycorn conversion table
Standard reference values for converting us survey feet to barleycorns:
| US Survey Foot [sft] | Barleycorn [barleycorn] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 0.3600007186 |
| 0.1 | 3.6000071858 |
| 1 | 36.0000718584 |
| 2 | 72.0001437168 |
| 3 | 108.0002155752 |
| 4 | 144.0002874336 |
| 5 | 180.0003592921 |
| 10 | 360.0007185841 |
| 20 | 720.0014371682 |
| 30 | 1080.0021557523 |
| 40 | 1440.0028743365 |
| 50 | 1800.0035929206 |
| 100 | 3600.0071858411 |
| 500 | 18000.0359292057 |
| 1000 | 36000.0718584114 |
Frequently asked questions
How many barleycorns is 1 us survey foot?
How do I convert us survey feet to barleycorns?
How do I convert barleycorns back to us survey feet?
How many barleycorns is 100 us survey feet?
Popular length unit conversions
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Metric / SI (7 units)
Imperial / US Customary (26 units)
Nautical (1 units)
Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 sft = 36.0000718584 barleycorn) verified against the following authoritative sources:
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure 9th ed.)
Official BIPM publication defining the seven SI base units (including the meter) and the rules for their use. The global authority on units of measurement.
- NIST — Guide to the SI
US National Institute of Standards and Technology reference covering the SI base and derived units with definitions and usage rules for US technical practice.
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units
Detailed NIST guide covering exact conversion factors between SI and US customary units along with formatting and rounding conventions.
- NIST — Refinement of values for the yard and pound (Federal Register 1959)
The treaty (signed by US
- International Hydrographic Organization — Resolution on the Nautical Mile
International authority that standardised the nautical mile at exactly 1852 m in 1929 — the value adopted worldwide for sea and air navigation.