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

Fariss, 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 Fariss surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fariss in America

Fariss is the 30889th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fariss surname appeared 753 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 Fariss.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fariss 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 Fariss

The surname Fariss is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "feris" or "ferris," meaning "wild" or "untamed." This connection suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a remote or uncultivated area.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, England, from the year 1221. These rolls documented a certain Robert Ferres, indicating the presence of the name in the region during that time. Over the centuries, the spelling of the name evolved, with variations such as Ferris, Farris, and Fariss emerging.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Sir Richard Fariss, a knight who fought alongside King Edward I during the Scottish Wars of Independence. He was recorded as participating in the Battle of Falkirk in 1298, where the English forces defeated the Scottish army led by William Wallace.

During the 16th century, the name appears to have been associated with several locations in England. For instance, the village of Fariss near Stratford-upon-Avon was once known as Ferris, suggesting a possible connection between the surname and the place name.

One of the most prominent individuals bearing the surname was John Fariss, an English playwright and poet who lived from 1585 to 1633. He gained recognition for his works, including the play "The Lusty Broadside," which was performed at the Globe Theatre in London.

In the 18th century, the name found its way to the American colonies, with several individuals bearing the surname settling in various regions. One such figure was William Fariss, born in 1742 in Virginia, who served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War and later became a prominent landowner in the state.

Another notable individual was Sarah Fariss, born in 1765 in Pennsylvania. She was a Quaker minister and abolitionist who actively advocated for the abolition of slavery and worked to educate and emancipate enslaved individuals.

As the centuries passed, the Fariss surname continued to spread across various parts of the world, with individuals from this family making their mark in various fields, including politics, literature, and the arts. Several other notable figures bearing the name include Joseph Fariss (1818-1892), a Canadian politician and businessman, and Robert Fariss (1920-2006), an American artist and painter known for his abstract expressionist works.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fariss

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

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

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

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