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

Failing, 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 Failing surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Failing in America

Failing is the 32169th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Failing surname appeared 717 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 Failing.

We can also compare 2010 data for Failing 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 Failing

The surname FAILING is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "fæling," which means "poor" or "destitute." The name first appeared in historical records in the 11th century, during the period of the Norman Conquest of England.

FAILING is believed to have originated in the counties of Yorkshire and Northumberland, where it was used to refer to individuals who were of humble means or lived in poverty. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a "Radulfus Failing" as a landowner in Northumberland.

During the Middle Ages, the FAILING surname was commonly found in various English towns and villages, with variations in spelling such as "Fayling," "Failyng," and "Faylyng." In the 14th century, a prominent figure named John Failing (c. 1320-1390) was a renowned scholar and theologian at the University of Oxford.

In the 16th century, the FAILING name gained prominence with the birth of Thomas Failing (1556-1612), a prominent English merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire. Another notable individual was Sir Edward Failing (1585-1647), a military officer who served in the English Civil War and was knighted for his service to King Charles I.

During the 17th century, the FAILING surname spread to other parts of the British Isles, with records showing individuals bearing the name in Scotland and Ireland. One notable Scot was Robert Failing (1638-1706), a Presbyterian minister and author who wrote several influential theological works.

In the 18th century, the FAILING name gained further recognition with the birth of William Failing (1745-1816), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas. Another notable figure was Sarah Failing (1780-1845), an English philanthropist and social reformer who worked tirelessly to improve the living conditions of the poor and underprivileged.

As the FAILING surname spread throughout the English-speaking world, it was carried by many individuals who made significant contributions to various fields, including science, literature, and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Failing

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

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 Failing 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 Failing 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 Failing was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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