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

Furnell, 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 Furnell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Furnell in America

Furnell is the 113791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Furnell surname appeared 154 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 Furnell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Furnell 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 Furnell

The surname Furnell originated in England during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "fournel," meaning a small oven or furnace. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who worked as a baker or operated a small furnace for a specific trade.

The earliest recorded instances of the Furnell surname can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a Robert le Furner in Oxfordshire, while the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 record a Thomas Furnell in Somerset.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name appeared in various forms, including Furnell, Furnall, Furnel, and Furnill. Some of these variations may have been influenced by regional dialects or the preferences of the record-keepers at the time.

One notable bearer of the Furnell surname was Sir Robert Furnell (c. 1550-1613), an English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers. He served as Lord Mayor of London in 1591 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I.

Another historical figure with this surname was John Furnell (c. 1595-1662), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Wilts from 1641 until his death. He was a staunch Royalist during the English Civil War and was briefly imprisoned for his support of King Charles I.

In the 18th century, the Furnell surname was associated with several notable individuals, including Thomas Furnell (1720-1793), an English businessman and philanthropist who endowed a school and almshouses in his hometown of Egham, Surrey.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Sir Robert Furnell (1744-1825), a British naval officer who served with distinction during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He was knighted in 1815 for his military service.

During the 19th century, the Furnell surname was represented by individuals such as William Furnell (1827-1906), an English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

These examples demonstrate the historical presence and significance of the Furnell surname throughout various periods and regions of England. While the name has evolved over time, its origins can be traced back to the medieval era and the occupational or trade-based roots of the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Furnell

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

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

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

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