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

Furrow, 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 Furrow surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Furrow in America

Furrow is the 15043rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Furrow surname appeared 1,964 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Furrow.

We can also compare 2010 data for Furrow 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 Furrow

The surname Furrow is believed to have originated in England and first appeared in historical records around the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "furh," which means a small trench or furrow used for planting crops. The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked on furrows of land.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname Furrow is found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk from 1273, where it is spelled "Furwe." This document was a census of landowners and their holdings, suggesting that the Furrow family may have been landowners or farmers during this time.

In the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1327, the name is spelled "Forowe," indicating variations in the spelling during the Middle Ages. These records were used to collect taxes, providing insight into the distribution of the Furrow surname across different regions of England.

The Furrow name also appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex from 1428, which were legal documents recording land transfers and agreements. This suggests that the Furrow family continued to be associated with agricultural activities and land ownership in the 15th century.

One notable bearer of the Furrow surname was John Furrow (c. 1560-1633), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Purleigh in Essex. His work, "A Treatise on the Sabbath," published in 1622, discussed the historical and theological significance of the Sabbath day.

Another prominent figure with the Furrow name was William Furrow (1629-1692), an English merchant and member of the East India Company. He played a significant role in the company's trade activities in Asia and contributed to the expansion of British interests in the region.

In the 18th century, Thomas Furrow (1710-1778) was a notable agricultural writer and advocate for improving farming practices. His book, "The Farmer's Guide," published in 1755, offered practical advice on crop cultivation, livestock management, and other aspects of rural life.

The Furrow surname also found its way to the American colonies, with records showing that a John Furrow (1675-1742) was among the early settlers in Virginia. He established a successful farm and became a respected member of the local community.

One of the most renowned bearers of the Furrow name was James Furrow (1810-1891), a British architect and civil engineer. He was responsible for designing several iconic buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall and the Alexandra Palace, which are still celebrated for their architectural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Furrow

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

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

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

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