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

Farrer, 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 Farrer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Farrer in America

Farrer is the 13627th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Farrer surname appeared 2,222 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Farrer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Farrer 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 Farrer

The surname Farrer is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English words "feor" meaning distant or far, and "ræra" meaning traveler or explorer. It is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, England, during the early medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Farrer can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Feorrour" and "Fereour." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the surname took on various spellings, such as "Ferrer," "Ferour," and "Farrour," reflecting the evolving nature of English orthography. It is also possible that the name was influenced by the Old French word "ferrier," meaning blacksmith or ironworker.

The earliest recorded bearer of the name was Sir John Farrer, a prominent landowner in Yorkshire, who lived during the 13th century. Another notable figure was Sir Robert Farrer, a member of the English Parliament in the late 14th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Farrer became associated with several places in England, such as Farrer's Close and Farrer's Fields in Yorkshire, and Farrer's End in Buckinghamshire.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Farrer was Thomas Farrer (1786-1874), an English politician and economist who served as a Member of Parliament and wrote extensively on financial and economic matters.

Another notable Farrer was Oliver Farrer (1798-1873), a British diplomat and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of St. Christopher and Nevis from 1836 to 1843.

In the literary world, Reginald John Farrer (1880-1920) was a renowned English botanist, plant explorer, and author, best known for his works on alpines and rock gardens.

The name Farrer has also been associated with various professions and trades throughout history, including agriculture, metalworking, and exploration, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and occupations of those who bore the surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Farrer

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

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

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

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