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

Favors, 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 Favors surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Favors in America

Favors is the 7730th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Favors surname appeared 4,295 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 Favors.

We can also compare 2010 data for Favors 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 Favors

The surname Favors has its origins in medieval England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "favour," which itself stems from the Latin "favor," meaning "grace" or "kindness." The name may have initially been used as a nickname for someone who enjoyed special favors or privileges from a lord or patron.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Favors can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, where a Roger Favors is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use in the latter part of the 13th century in the English county of Huntingdonshire.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Favers, Favors, and Fauvers, indicating the lack of standardized spelling during that era. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 mention a John Favors, while the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire from 1379 record a William Fauvers.

The Favors surname is also linked to certain place names in England. For instance, the village of Favors in Gloucestershire may have influenced the name's development in that region. Similarly, the hamlet of Faver in Somerset could have contributed to the surname's local variations.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Favors. One of the earliest was Sir John Favors (1320-1392), a English knight and landowner from Oxfordshire. Another was William Favors (1490-1558), a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of King Henry VIII.

In the 17th century, Thomas Favors (1610-1681) was a respected clergyman and author, known for his works on theology and philosophy. During the same period, the explorer and navigator John Favors (1635-1701) made significant contributions to the mapping of the Pacific Ocean and the exploration of the American West Coast.

The 19th century saw the rise of the renowned artist and illustrator William Favors (1820-1892), whose works were widely acclaimed for their attention to detail and vivid depictions of everyday life in Victorian England.

These examples demonstrate the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals bearing the surname Favors throughout the centuries, reflecting the name's enduring presence in different regions of England and its rich historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Favors

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

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

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

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