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

Furl, 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 Furl surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Furl in America

Furl is the 132206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Furl surname appeared 128 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 Furl.

We can also compare 2010 data for Furl 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 Furl

The surname Furl has its origins in England, dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "fyrhþ" or "fyrð," meaning a journey or passage. This could suggest that the name's bearers were originally travelers or migrants.

One of the earliest records of the name Furl can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Islington, London, where a Thomas Furl was recorded as having been baptized in 1592. Another early mention of the name appears in the Suffolk Hearth Tax records of 1674, which lists a John Furl as a resident of Ipswich.

The name Furl has also been linked to the village of Furle in Wiltshire, England. It is possible that the surname originated as a locational name for someone who hailed from this village. An alternative theory suggests that the name could be an occupational name for someone who worked as a furler, responsible for furling or rolling up sails on ships.

In terms of notable individuals bearing the surname Furl, one of the earliest was Richard Furl (1624-1688), an English merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Furl (1678-1746), a Member of Parliament for the borough of Malmesbury in Wiltshire during the early 18th century.

Other historical figures with the surname Furl include:

1. Captain John Furl (1723-1791), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.

2. Mary Furl (1756-1832), a pioneering English educator and philanthropist who established several schools for underprivileged children in London.

3. Reverend William Furl (1789-1862), an English clergyman and author who wrote several books on theology and Christian philosophy.

4. General James Furl (1821-1897), a British Army officer who served in the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

5. Elizabeth Furl (1845-1923), a renowned English artist and painter known for her landscape and portrait works.

While the surname Furl is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history that can be traced back several centuries, with its origins rooted in the language and geography of the English countryside.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Furl

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

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

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

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