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

Ferrel, 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 Ferrel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ferrel in America

Ferrel is the 10510th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ferrel surname appeared 3,054 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 Ferrel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ferrel 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 Ferrel

The surname Ferrel is believed to have originated in medieval France, specifically in the northern regions. It is likely derived from the Old French word "ferreul," which means "little iron worker" or "blacksmith." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname, given to those who worked with iron or practiced blacksmithing.

In the early 12th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Ferreul, Ferroul, and Feroul, in records from the Normandy region. One of the earliest documented instances is a reference to a "Robert Ferreul" in the Cartulary of Savigny Abbey, dated around 1150.

The Ferrel surname can also be traced back to the 13th century, when it was found in the records of the Duchy of Burgundy. For instance, a "Jehan Ferrel" was mentioned in the Chartulary of Cîteaux Abbey in 1267. This indicates that the name had spread to other parts of France by that time.

During the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Ferrel, Ferrell, and Ferrale, in records from the Île-de-France region, which surrounds Paris. One notable individual from this period was Étienne Ferrel, a merchant from Paris who was documented in the city's tax records in 1380.

As the surname spread across Europe, it also found its way to England. In the 15th century, a "John Ferrell" was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk County in 1524. This suggests that the name had been adopted by English families, likely through migration or intermarriage with French immigrants.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Ferrel surname in the New World is that of John Ferrell, who was born in England in 1620 and later emigrated to Virginia Colony in the mid-17th century. He is considered one of the earliest bearers of the name in what would become the United States.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Ferrel surname. These include:

1. William Ferrel (1817-1891), an American meteorologist and physicist known for his work on atmospheric circulation and the development of the Ferrel Cell concept.
2. Pierre Ferrel (1601-1669), a French mathematician and astronomer who made contributions to the study of optics and the calculation of eclipses.
3. Bartolomé Ferrel (c. 1530-1590), a Spanish painter and sculptor who worked in the Renaissance style and was active in Seville.
4. John Ferrell (1786-1859), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Virginia in the early 19th century.
5. Jean-Pierre Ferrel (1944-2019), a French actor and director known for his work in theater and television productions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ferrel

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

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

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

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