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

Ferch, 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 Ferch surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ferch in America

Ferch is the 32236th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ferch surname appeared 715 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 Ferch.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ferch 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 Ferch

The surname FERCH is believed to have originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "Fercher," which referred to a ferryman or someone who operated a ferry across a river or body of water. The name likely originated in areas near major rivers or waterways where ferries were a crucial mode of transportation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname FERCH can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the 11th century. In this collection, a man named Heinricus Fercher is mentioned as a ferryman operating near the town of Mainz along the Rhine River in the year 1082.

In the 13th century, the surname FERCH appeared in various legal documents and records across German-speaking regions. For instance, a man named Johannes Ferch is mentioned in a land deed from the town of Cologne, dated 1247. This suggests that the name had spread and become more widespread during this period.

During the late Middle Ages, the spelling of the surname evolved slightly, with variations such as "Ferche" and "Ferchen" appearing in various records. In 1389, a woman named Margaretha Ferchen was listed as a resident of the city of Nuremberg in a census document.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname FERCH was Hans Ferch, a merchant and trader who lived in the city of Augsburg in the 15th century (c. 1420-1492). He was known for his successful business ventures and his involvement in local politics.

Another prominent figure with the FERCH surname was Johann Ferch (1540-1610), a Protestant theologian and reformer from the city of Wittenberg. He was a contemporary of Martin Luther and played a significant role in the spread of Lutheran teachings in Germany.

In the 17th century, the FERCH surname appeared in various records across Europe, indicating that individuals with this name had migrated to other regions. For example, a man named Peter Ferch is listed as a resident of the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands in a census record from 1642.

One notable individual from this period was Maria Ferch (1628-1698), a German writer and poet from the city of Leipzig. She was known for her religious poetry and her work as a hymn writer for the Lutheran church.

In the 19th century, the FERCH surname can be found in records from various German-speaking regions, as well as in areas where German immigrants had settled. For instance, a man named Friedrich Ferch (1812-1889) was a prominent farmer and landowner in the town of Frankenmuth, Michigan, in the United States, where he had immigrated from Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ferch

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

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

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

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