2000
#24,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 936
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.35
Rare Last name
Ferren
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic nickname "Fearghain" meaning "man of wrath" or "angry man".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,071 Americans carry the last name Ferren. That puts it at #27,351 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.31 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 320,032 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ferren surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
1.1K
1 in 320,032
Census rank
#27,351
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
934
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 934 bearers of the surname Ferren in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.31 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 27351st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ferren, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.2%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ferren
The surname Ferren has its roots in the British Isles, specifically in England and Scotland, where it emerged in the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as an occupational name for a ferryman, someone who transported people and goods across rivers or bodies of water using a small boat or ferry. The name is derived from the Old English word "feren" or the Middle English word "feren," meaning "to carry or convey."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ferren can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is recorded as "Fereman" in this historic document, which suggests its use as an occupational surname in the late 11th century.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appeared in various spellings, including Ferren, Ferron, Ferrand, and Ferreman, across different regions of England and Scotland. Some of the earliest bearers of the name were associated with areas near rivers or bodies of water, reflecting their occupation as ferrymen.
In the 15th century, the name Ferren was recorded in the Hertfordshire Subsidy Rolls of 1428, where a certain John Ferren was listed as a taxpayer. This record provides evidence of the surname's continued use and establishment in the region.
One notable bearer of the surname Ferren was Sir John Ferren (c. 1470-1540), an English politician and courtier who served as the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire during the reign of King Henry VIII. He was also a Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire in 1529.
Another individual of historical significance was Robert Ferren (1545-1620), a Scottish Protestant reformer and scholar who played a vital role in the establishment of the Church of Scotland. He was a prominent figure in the religious and intellectual circles of his time.
In the 17th century, the name Ferren was found in various parish records and court documents across England and Scotland, indicating its continued use and spread throughout the British Isles.
One notable bearer of the surname during this period was William Ferren (1620-1685), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Twyford in Hampshire. He was known for his religious writings and sermons.
Another individual of note was John Ferren (1670-1745), a Scottish merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the economic development of the city of Glasgow during the early years of the Industrial Revolution.
Throughout its history, the surname Ferren has been associated with a diverse range of professions and backgrounds, from ferrymen and politicians to scholars, clergymen, and merchants. While its origins can be traced back to the occupational role of ferrying people and goods across bodies of water, the name has evolved and spread across different regions of the British Isles, contributing to the rich tapestry of surnames and their meanings.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ferren
Among Census respondents with the surname Ferren, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.2%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Ferren bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ferren surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.3% · 825
- Hispanic or Latino5.2% · 49
- Two or more races3.0% · 28
- Black or African American1.9% · 18
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ferren
Ferren appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#27,646
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 870
-66 bearers (-7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.29
Rank movement Down 2,717 places
2020
#27,351
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 934
+64 bearers (+7.4%)
Per 100,000 0.31
Rank movement Up 295 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #24,929 | 936 | 0.35 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #27,646 | 870 | 0.29 | -66 bearers (-7.1%) | Down 2,717 places |
| 2020 | #27,351 | 934 | 0.31 | +64 bearers (+7.4%) | Up 295 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ferren surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #27,646 | #27,351 | 1.1% |
| Count | 870 | 934 | 7.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.29 | 0.31 | 7.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ferren bearers went from 870 to 934 (+7.4% change). The surname moved up 295 positions in the national ranking, going from #27,646 to #27,351.
FAQ
Ferren surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ferren?
Name Census estimates that about 1,071 living Americans carry the surname Ferren. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 320,032 residents.
How common is Ferren?
Ferren ranks #27,351 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.31 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 934 people with the surname Ferren. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,071), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.31 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.31 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Ferren.
Has Ferren become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ferren went from 870 recorded bearers to 934. That is an increase of 64 (+7.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #27,646 to #27,351.
What does the Census say about the background of Ferren?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ferren, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.2%) and Two or More Races (3.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ferren in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.3% (825 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ferren appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.3%), Hispanic (5.2%), Two or More Races (3.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ferren (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ferren mean?
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic nickname "Fearghain" meaning "man of wrath" or "angry man". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ferren (0.31 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Ferren?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.