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

Ference, 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 Ference surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ference in America

Ference is the 18950th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ference surname appeared 1,440 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 Ference.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ference 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 Ference

The surname Ference originates from Hungary and has its roots in the Latin name Ferentius. It is believed to have emerged in the 9th or 10th century AD, during the period when Hungary was transitioning from a pagan society to Christianity.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ference can be found in a 12th-century manuscript known as the Codex of Pray, which contains a list of Hungarian personal names. This document provides evidence of the name's existence during the Middle Ages.

In the 13th century, the surname Ference began to appear in various historical records and documents, such as land deeds and tax registers. One notable example is the mention of a nobleman named Ference de Gerche in a 1265 charter issued by King Béla IV of Hungary.

During the 15th century, the surname Ference gained prominence, particularly in the regions of Transylvania and the Carpathian Basin. Several members of the Ference family were recorded as landowners and local officials during this time period.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Ference was Péter Ference, a Hungarian nobleman born in the late 14th century. He served as a military commander and played a significant role in the Hungarian campaigns against the Ottoman Empire in the early 15th century.

Another notable figure was György Ference (1497-1565), a renowned Hungarian theologian and reformer who was instrumental in the spread of Protestantism in Hungary. He translated several religious texts into the Hungarian language and established numerous Protestant schools and churches.

In the 17th century, the surname Ference was associated with several prominent families in the town of Nagyszombat (now Trnava, Slovakia). One member of this family, István Ference (1605-1671), was a renowned scholar and professor at the University of Nagyszombat.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Ference surname continued to be prevalent in various regions of Hungary and neighboring countries. János Ference (1765-1819) was a notable Hungarian poet and playwright who contributed significantly to the development of Hungarian literature.

Another individual of note was Mihály Ference (1884-1957), a Hungarian politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Hungary from 1946 to 1949, during the transition from the Kingdom of Hungary to the Hungarian People's Republic.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ference

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

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

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

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