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

Furman, 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 Furman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Furman in America

Furman is the 3820th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Furman surname appeared 9,273 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Furman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Furman 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 Furman

The surname Furman is of Germanic origin and is believed to have been derived from the ancient German word "furman," meaning "carter" or "wagoner." This occupation-based surname likely originated in regions of modern-day Germany and the Netherlands during the Middle Ages.

In England, the name Furman is first recorded in the 13th century, appearing in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 as Robert le Furman from Oxfordshire. This indicates that the name had already been established in parts of England by that time, likely brought over by Germanic settlers or traders.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Furman name was Richard Furman, a wealthy merchant who lived in London during the 15th century. He is mentioned in various records, including the city's tax rolls, between 1420 and 1452.

In the 16th century, the Furman surname can be found in various parish records across England, with variations in spelling such as Fureman, Furmane, and Furmon. Notable individuals from this period include John Furman, a landowner in Berkshire, who was born around 1520.

During the 17th century, the Furman name gained prominence in the American colonies. One of the earliest settlers bearing this surname was Edward Furman, who arrived in Massachusetts from England in 1635. He later moved to Long Island, New York, where he became a prominent landowner and founding member of the town of Hempstead.

Another notable figure was Richard Furman (1755-1825), a Baptist minister and educator from Charleston, South Carolina. He played a significant role in the development of the Baptist denomination in the United States and served as the president of the Triennial Convention, a national Baptist organization.

In the 19th century, the Furman name was associated with several influential individuals, including James C. Furman (1809-1891), a prominent judge and politician from South Carolina. He served as the Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives and later became the state's Governor.

Another notable bearer of the Furman surname was Mary Furman (1809-1892), an American educator and philanthropist. She founded the Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, which was named in honor of her family's contributions to the Baptist church and education.

Throughout history, the Furman surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, landowners, ministers, educators, and politicians. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Germany and the Netherlands, the name has become well-established in many parts of the world, particularly in the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Furman

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

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

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

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