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

Firby, 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 Firby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Firby in America

Firby is the 153769th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Firby surname appeared 106 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Firby.

The history of the last name Firby

The surname Firby is believed to have originated in England, and can be traced back to the early medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "fyr" meaning fire, and "by" meaning a settlement or village, indicating that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a place where charcoal was burned or where fires were lit for some industrial purpose.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landowner named Firby in the county of Yorkshire. This suggests that the name was already established in that region by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the surname was often spelled in various ways, such as Firbie, Feerby, and Fyreby, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling practices of the time. Some historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries mention individuals with the surname Firby in various parts of northern England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with this surname was John Firby, who was born in Yorkshire around 1520. He was a Catholic priest and author, known for his work "The Booke of Godly and Vertuous Sentences" published in 1565.

Another prominent individual with the name was William Firby, a 17th-century English clergyman and writer, who served as a rector in the village of Mendlesham, Suffolk. He was born around 1615 and is known for his theological works, including "The Creed, Decalogue, and the Lord's Prayer" published in 1678.

In the 18th century, the surname can be found in various parish records and local histories, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. One notable figure from this period was Thomas Firby, a farmer and landowner from the village of Westow, Yorkshire, who was born in 1712 and lived until 1784.

The 19th century saw several individuals with the surname Firby making their mark in various fields. For example, George Firby (1829-1903) was a British architect and surveyor who worked on numerous projects in London and the surrounding areas.

Overall, while not a particularly common surname, Firby has a rich history rooted in the northern regions of England, with various branches and individuals contributing to the cultural and historical fabric of the country over several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Firby

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

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 Firby 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.

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

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

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