Find out how popular the last name Confrey is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Confrey.

Confrey, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Confrey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Confrey in America

Confrey is the 151532nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Confrey surname appeared 108 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Confrey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Confrey to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Confrey

The surname Confrey originated in England, likely in the northern counties during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "cunfrei," meaning "a sworn brother" or "a member of a confraternity." This suggests that the name may have been initially used to identify someone who belonged to a religious brotherhood or fraternal organization.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Cunfrey." This document contains records of landowners and tenants during the reign of King Edward I. The name is also mentioned in the Placita de Quo Warranto from 1292, which was a legal inquiry into the rights and privileges claimed by individuals and institutions.

In the 14th century, the surname Confrey appeared in various forms, such as "Cunfrey," "Confray," and "Confre." These variations reflect the inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation during that time period. It is possible that the name was also influenced by its association with certain locations or places, as was common with many English surnames.

One notable figure bearing the name Confrey was John Confrey, a merchant and trader who lived in London during the late 16th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the lucrative wool trade and held significant wealth and influence in the city.

Another individual of historical significance was William Confrey, a soldier who fought in the English Civil War (1642-1651). He served under Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentarian forces and participated in several key battles, including the Battle of Naseby in 1645.

In the 18th century, a prominent member of the Confrey family was Elizabeth Confrey (1720-1789), a landowner and philanthropist from Yorkshire. She was known for her charitable work and contributed to the establishment of several schools and hospitals in the region.

During the 19th century, the name Confrey gained some recognition through the achievements of Sir Charles Confrey (1825-1901), a British politician and diplomat. He served as the Governor of British Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) from 1875 to 1877 and played a significant role in the administration of the colonial government.

Another notable figure was James Confrey (1844-1918), a Scottish-born businessman and industrialist who made his fortune in the textile industry. He established several successful mills and factories in Lancashire, England, and was known for his innovative manufacturing methods and fair treatment of workers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Confrey

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Confrey.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Confrey was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Confrey has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Confrey was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Confrey, please contact us.

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