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

Ferrell, 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 Ferrell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ferrell in America

Ferrell is the 1043rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ferrell surname appeared 33,418 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 11 people would have the surname Ferrell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ferrell 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 Ferrell

The surname Ferrell has its origins in England, with records indicating its presence as early as the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "ferreor," which means "ironworker" or "blacksmith." This occupational surname likely originated from a person whose profession involved working with iron or metalsmithing.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Ferrell can be traced back to the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk, dated 1198, where it appeared as "Farellus." This medieval document recorded the names of individuals who paid taxes to the English Crown. The spelling variations during this period included Farrell, Ferrill, Ferryll, and Ferrell.

In the 13th century, the name Ferrell appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, a collection of records from the Hundred Courts. This document listed individuals named Ferrellus and Ferellus de Tylney, indicating that some Ferrells were associated with the village of Tilney in Norfolk.

During the 14th century, the surname Ferrell was found in various historical records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where it was recorded as "Ferylle." This document recorded the names of individuals who paid a tax to the English Crown.

One notable figure bearing the surname Ferrell was John Ferrell, a merchant from Bristol, England, who lived in the late 16th century. He was a prominent member of the Society of Merchant Venturers, a influential trading organization in Bristol.

Another notable individual was William Ferrell, born in 1579 in Lincolnshire, England. He served as a Member of Parliament for Grantham in 1628 and played a role in the English Civil War, supporting the Parliamentarian cause.

In the 17th century, the name Ferrell was also found in the records of the Virginia Company, which oversaw the establishment of the Virginia Colony in North America. One such record from 1623 mentioned a Thomas Ferrell who was among the early settlers in the colony.

Another notable figure was John Ferrell, born in 1692 in County Down, Ireland. He was a prominent Presbyterian minister who emigrated to America in the early 18th century and played a significant role in the establishment of the Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania.

In the 19th century, Joseph Ferrell, born in 1815 in Ohio, United States, was a prominent abolitionist and activist who fought against slavery. He was actively involved in the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved individuals escape to freedom.

These are just a few examples of individuals who bore the surname Ferrell throughout history, illustrating the name's English origins and its presence in various historical records and contexts over several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ferrell

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!