2000
#120,330
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Ferrian
English surname derived from an occupational name for an ironworker or someone who worked with iron.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Ferrian. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ferrian 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Ferrian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ferrian, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ferrian
The surname Ferrian has its origins in medieval France, with the earliest known records dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "ferrant," which means "blacksmith" or "iron worker," suggesting that the name's bearers were likely involved in metalworking trades.
In the 12th century, the Ferrian name began appearing in various regions of France, particularly in the northern and central areas. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Chartres Cathedral archives from 1167, where a certain Hugues Ferrian is mentioned as a blacksmith residing in the city.
As the name spread across Europe during the Middle Ages, it underwent several spelling variations, including Ferrien, Ferrion, and Ferryan. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the name in official documents.
One notable historical figure bearing the Ferrian surname was Jean Ferrian, a French soldier and knight who fought alongside Joan of Arc during the Siege of Orléans in 1429. His bravery and loyalty to the Maid of Orléans earned him a place in the annals of French military history.
In the 16th century, the Ferrian name gained prominence in England, where it was sometimes anglicized to "Ferrian" or "Ferron." One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in England comes from the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Taunton, Somerset, where a Thomas Ferrian was baptized in 1587.
Another significant figure with the Ferrian surname was Pierre Ferrian, a French artist and engraver who lived in the late 17th century. His intricate copper engravings of biblical scenes and historical events are considered masterpieces of the Baroque era.
In the 19th century, the Ferrian name gained a foothold in the United States, with several notable individuals bearing the surname. One such person was John Ferrian (1819-1901), a successful businessman and landowner from Pennsylvania who played a prominent role in the development of the coal mining industry in the region.
Another notable American with the Ferrian surname was Mary Ferrian (1844-1919), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded one of the first private schools for girls in Ohio and was an active member of the National American Woman Suffrage Association.
While the Ferrian surname may not be as widespread as some others, its rich history and connections to various trades and professions make it a unique and intriguing name with deep roots in European and American history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ferrian
Among Census respondents with the surname Ferrian, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Ferrian 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 Ferrian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.1% · 111
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ferrian
Ferrian 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
#132,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
-5 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,876 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-16 bearers (-12.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,748 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #120,330 | 133 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #132,206 | 128 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-3.8%) | Down 11,876 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-12.5%) | Down 15,748 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 Ferrian 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 | #132,206 | #147,954 | -11.9% |
| Count | 128 | 112 | -12.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ferrian bearers went from 128 to 112 (-12.5% change). The surname moved down 15,748 positions in the national ranking, going from #132,206 to #147,954.
FAQ
Ferrian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ferrian?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Ferrian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Ferrian?
Ferrian ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 112 people with the surname Ferrian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Ferrian.
Has Ferrian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ferrian went from 128 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 16 (-12.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #132,206 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Ferrian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ferrian, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Ferrian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.1% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ferrian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.1%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Ferrian (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 Ferrian mean?
English surname derived from an occupational name for an ironworker or someone who worked with iron. 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 Ferrian (0.04 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 common is the surname Ferrian?
Want to know how common the surname Ferrian is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.