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

Furze, 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 Furze surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Furze in America

Furze is the 69579th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Furze surname appeared 282 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 Furze.

We can also compare 2010 data for Furze 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 Furze

The surname Furze originated in England, dating back to the medieval period. It derives from the Old English word "fyrs," meaning a furze or gorse bush, a prickly shrub found in abundance across the British Isles. The name likely referred to someone who lived near an area overgrown with furze or worked with the plant in some capacity.

Early recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Frisic" and "Frisig." These entries suggest the surname's presence in England shortly after the Norman Conquest. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, Furze.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire as "de la Frize," indicating an association with a specific location or dwelling near furze bushes. This form highlights the descriptive nature of many early surnames, reflecting the surroundings or occupations of the bearers.

Notable historical figures with the surname Furze include John Furze, a 15th-century English landowner from Somersetshire, and William Furze, a 16th-century yeoman farmer from Devonshire. The name was particularly prevalent in the southwest of England during this period.

In the 17th century, Richard Furze (1612-1687) was a renowned English churchman and author, serving as the Archdeacon of Surrey. His writings on theology and religious topics were widely circulated during his lifetime.

Moving into the 18th century, we find Samuel Furze (1738-1827), a British naval officer who distinguished himself in several battles during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Emily Furze (1815-1891), a British novelist and poet whose works often explored themes of morality and social commentary. Her novel "The Cost of a Secret" was particularly well-received during the Victorian era.

Over the centuries, the Furze surname has maintained its connection to its Old English roots, reflecting the enduring presence of the furze plant in the English countryside and the descriptive nature of many early surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Furze

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

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

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

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