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

Fearon, 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 Fearon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fearon in America

Fearon is the 14768th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fearon surname appeared 2,011 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 Fearon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fearon 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 Fearon

The surname Fearon is of Irish origin, originating from the Gaelic surname Ó Faracháin. It is derived from the Irish personal name Farachán, which means "pleasant" or "beloved." The name can be traced back to the 11th century in County Cork, Ireland.

In ancient Irish records, the name appears as early as the 12th century, with references to the Fearon family in the Annals of Inisfallen. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Donogh O'Fearon, who was mentioned in a land deed in County Cork in 1196.

The Fearon family was prominent in County Cork and surrounding areas during the medieval period. They were part of the Gaelic nobility and held significant landholdings in the region. The name can also be found in historical documents related to the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Fearon surname underwent various spelling variations, including Feeran, Feerann, and Feraun. These variations were likely due to the anglicization of the name and the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

One notable figure bearing the Fearon surname was Sir William Fearon (1572-1638), an Irish landowner and politician who served as a member of the Irish Parliament for County Cork. He played a significant role in the political affairs of the region during the early 17th century.

Another prominent individual was John Fearon (1768-1837), an English writer and traveler who published several books about his travels in the United States and Canada. His works provided valuable insights into the social and political climate of the early 19th century in North America.

In the 19th century, the Fearon surname was also associated with the town of Fearon, located in County Cork. This place name likely derived from the Fearon family's historical connection to the area.

Other notable individuals with the Fearon surname include:

1. Henry Bradshaw Fearon (1796-1849), an English novelist and playwright.
2. Robert Fearon (1892-1978), an Australian politician and member of the Australian House of Representatives.
3. Denis Fearon (1920-2008), an English actor known for his roles in television and film.
4. William Robert Fearon (1856-1944), an Irish-born American businessman and philanthropist.
5. Patrick Fearon (born 1953), an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for the Derry senior football team.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fearon

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

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

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

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