Ferrol
An English name originating from the French placename of the same spelling.
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Ferrol. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 59.5% of registrations being female. The average person named Ferrol today is around 94 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ferrol births was 1917 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ferrol. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Ferrol is about 94 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Ferrols were born before 1942.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ferrol. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1917
6 babies that year
Average age
94
years old
1938 SSA rank
#3,700
Tracked since 1900
Gender
Gender distribution for Ferrol
Ferrol is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 37 total registrations, 15 (40.5%) were male and 22 (59.5%) were female.
Ferrol as a male name
- Ranked #3,700 in 1938
- 5 male births in 1938
- Peak: 1918 (5 births)
Ferrol as a female name
- Ranked #4,492 in 1926
- 6 female births in 1926
- Peak: 1917 (6 births)
Popularity
Ferrol: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ferrol from the 1900s through to the 1930s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 16 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1910s peak, Ferrol remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ferrol by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Ferrol during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ferrol
The given name Ferrol is a relatively uncommon one with uncertain origins. Some sources suggest it may have derived from the Spanish city of Ferrol, located in the province of A Coruña in Galicia. The name of the city itself is believed to have originated from the Latin word "farum," meaning lighthouse or beacon.
It's possible that the name Ferrol was initially used as a surname or place name before becoming a given name. However, concrete historical records of its earliest use as a first name are scarce. One theory proposes that the name may have been adopted by individuals who either hailed from or had a connection to the city of Ferrol.
The earliest documented instances of the name Ferrol being used as a first name date back to the late 19th century. One notable bearer of the name was Ferrol Sams Jr. (1922-2013), an American novelist, essayist, and physician from Georgia. His semi-autobiographical works, such as "Run with the Horsemen" and "The Whisper of the River," explored rural life in the American South.
Another historical figure named Ferrol was Ferrol Briggs (1927-2020), an American actor and singer who appeared in various Broadway productions and television shows throughout his career. He was particularly known for his role in the original Broadway production of "The Music Man."
In the literary realm, Ferrol Sams Sr. (1917-2004), the father of the aforementioned novelist, was himself an accomplished writer and playwright. His works, including "The Survivors" and "Epiphanies," drew inspiration from his experiences as a rural physician in Georgia.
Moving across the Atlantic, Ferrol Robinson (1930-2020) was a British actor who had a prolific career in television and film. He appeared in several popular TV series, such as "Doctor Who" and "Coronation Street," as well as films like "The Elephant Man" and "Quadrophenia."
Finally, Ferrol Dunford (1939-2007) was a Canadian artist and sculptor known for his large-scale public artworks and environmental installations. His work often explored themes of nature, ecology, and the relationship between humans and the environment.
While the name Ferrol may not be among the most common given names, it has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, each leaving their mark in their respective fields.
People
Ferrol + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ferrol as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ferrol: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ferrol?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ferrol going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Ferrol a common name?
We classify Ferrol as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 37 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ferrol most popular?
The single biggest year for Ferrol was 1917, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ferrol is about 94 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Ferrol in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ferrol a female name?
Yes, 59.5% of people registered as Ferrol in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Ferrol still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ferrol in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Ferrol can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Ferrol as a first name?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.