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

Ferris, 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 Ferris surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ferris in America

Ferris is the 1732nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ferris surname appeared 20,703 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Ferris.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ferris 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 Ferris

The surname Ferris has its origins in medieval France, deriving from the Old French word "ferier," which means "blacksmith" or "iron worker." The name first appeared in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066, as many Norman families settled in Britain.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries for individuals with the surname Ferris or similar spellings, such as Ferers and Ferrers. These early records suggest that the name was well-established in England by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Ferris was William Ferris, a Norman knight who fought alongside William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. William Ferris was later granted lands in Staffordshire, and his descendants continued to use the name for generations.

During the Middle Ages, the name Ferris was sometimes associated with places where blacksmiths or iron workers lived or worked. For example, the village of Ferrieres in Normandy, France, was known for its iron industry, and some early bearers of the name may have hailed from this area.

In the 13th century, a prominent individual named William Ferris was appointed Lord Chancellor of England by King Henry III. This William Ferris was likely descended from the Norman knight who fought at Hastings.

Another notable figure was Sir John Ferris (c. 1330-1399), a English knight who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. Sir John Ferris was renowned for his bravery in battle and was rewarded with lands in Lincolnshire.

In the 16th century, the name Ferris was sometimes spelled "Ferres" or "Ferrys." One example is John Ferres (c. 1520-1585), an English Catholic martyr who was executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his religious beliefs.

Over the centuries, the Ferris surname has been found throughout England, Ireland, and other parts of the British Isles, as well as in North America, where many individuals with the name immigrated from Britain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ferris

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

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

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

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