2000
#2,301
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,451
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.36
Uncommon Last name
Farrar
An occupational surname referring to a smith or worker of iron, derived from the Old French ferreor.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 15,968 Americans carry the last name Farrar. That puts it at #2,524 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.66 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 21,465 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Farrar surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Farrar with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
16K
1 in 21,465
Census rank
#2,524
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
14K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 13,925 bearers of the surname Farrar in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.66 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2524th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Farrar, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.5%. The next largest groups are Black (13.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Farrar
The surname Farrar originated in England, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be an occupational name derived from the Old French word "ferrour," meaning "iron worker" or "blacksmith." This points to the name's connection with the metalworking trade, likely referring to an ancestor who worked as a blacksmith or farrier.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Ferrar." This valuable historical record, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides insights into the distribution of surnames across England during that time period.
As the name evolved, various spellings emerged, such as Ferrer, Ferror, and Farrer, reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations. The spelling "Farrar" became more prevalent in later centuries, particularly in certain regions of England.
Notable individuals with the Farrar surname include John Farrar, a 16th-century English Protestant reformer and martyr, who was burned at the stake in 1555 during the Marian Persecutions. Another notable figure was Reverend John Farrar (1592-1670), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of St. Giles' Church in Cripplegate, London.
In the 18th century, Samuel Farrar (1741-1795) was a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the American Revolutionary War. He achieved the rank of Rear Admiral and was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Bath.
Moving into the 19th century, Frederic William Farrar (1831-1903) was an English clergyman, author, and renowned educator. He served as the Headmaster of Marlborough College and later became the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral. His literary works, including the influential book "Life of Christ," earned him widespread acclaim.
Another notable figure was Geraldine Farrar (1882-1967), an American operatic soprano who achieved international fame during the early 20th century. She performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and became one of the first opera singers to achieve widespread popularity through recordings and motion pictures.
The Farrar surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Farrar's Island in Nova Scotia, Canada, and Farrar's Point in New York, United States, reflecting the geographical spread of individuals bearing this name over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Farrar
Among Census respondents with the surname Farrar, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.5%. The next largest groups are Black (13.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Farrar bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Farrar surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White77.5% · 10,788
- Black or African American13.3% · 1,848
- Two or more races4.3% · 603
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 508
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 102
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 76
Timeline
Historical Census data for Farrar
Farrar appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,434
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,892
+441 bearers (+3.1%)
Per 100,000 5.05
Rank movement Down 133 places
2020
#2,524
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,925
-967 bearers (-6.5%)
Per 100,000 4.66
Rank movement Down 90 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,301 | 14,451 | 5.36 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,434 | 14,892 | 5.05 | +441 bearers (+3.1%) | Down 133 places |
| 2020 | #2,524 | 13,925 | 4.66 | -967 bearers (-6.5%) | Down 90 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Farrar surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,434 | #2,524 | -3.7% |
| Count | 14,892 | 13,925 | -6.5% |
| Per 100K | 5.05 | 4.66 | -7.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Farrar bearers went from 14,892 to 13,925 (-6.5% change). The surname moved down 90 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,434 to #2,524.
FAQ
Farrar surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Farrar?
Name Census estimates that about 15,968 living Americans carry the surname Farrar. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 21,465 residents.
How common is Farrar?
Farrar ranks #2,524 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.66 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 13,925 people with the surname Farrar. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (15,968), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.66 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.66 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Farrar.
Has Farrar become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Farrar went from 14,892 recorded bearers to 13,925. That is a decrease of 967 (-6.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,434 to #2,524.
What does the Census say about the background of Farrar?
Among Census respondents with the surname Farrar, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.5%. The next largest groups are Black (13.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Farrar in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.5% (10,788 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Farrar appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (77.5%), Black (13.3%), Two or More Races (4.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Farrar (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Farrar mean?
An occupational surname referring to a smith or worker of iron, derived from the Old French ferreor. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Farrar (4.66 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Farrar?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.