The Farr surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 20,011 people carried this name — #1,794 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 14,700 people counted. That is up 4% from 19,242 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Farr surname

English surname, from Old English fearr (“bull”). As a German surname, of the same meaning and source (Farre).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Farr» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 5 births for the Farr name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 200 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 5

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 22 people named Farr live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Mendoza.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Mendoza 11
Santa Fe 11

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Farr was found among the farmers of 3 counties.

It was most frequent in Herefordshire: 51 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 196. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Herefordshire 51
Hertfordshire 40
Lincolnshire 7

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

67 families named Farr, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 431 people lived in those households, 6.4 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

New Hampshire 21
Massachusetts 9
Vermont 7
South Carolina 7
New York 6
Pennsylvania 5
Maryland 5
North Carolina 4
Maine 3

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 239 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Farr in American newspapers,
1878–1917.

Newspaper page from The Union Times carrying the name Farr
The Union Times 1917-01-19
Newspaper page from Katholische Volkszeitung carrying the name Farr
Katholische Volkszeitung 1878-06-08
Newspaper page from Katholische Volkszeitung carrying the name Farr
Katholische Volkszeitung 1878-05-11

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 192,689 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Farr in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

30,907 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Farr. The most, 5,002, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 2.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 10,463
New South Wales 7,749
Victoria 5,212
Queensland 4,135
Western Australia 2,528
Tasmania 607
ACT (Canberra) 174
Northern Territory 7

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Farr.

Who carried it

People named Farr,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Farr
    John Farr 1791–1847 · industrialist
  • Richard Farr d. 1586 · politician
  • Dorothea Mae Farr d. 1981
  • Elsie Edmondson d. 1956
  • Lorina Farr 1723–
  • Sarah Farr 1733–1809

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Farr,
in the records of 9 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,694 records

1,694 records of the Farr name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 662
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 233
  • Other U.S. records 799
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Ralph W. Farr

    Born 1920 in Georgia. Enlisted 1942 at Fort McPherson Atlanta; typesetter from Ware County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1992, buried at Beaufort National Cemetery, South Carolina.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Stanley L. Farr

    Born 1915 in Washington. Enlisted 1942 at Spokane; salesperson from Yakima County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1992, buried at Willamette National Cemetery, Oregon.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Elizabeth Farr

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the Bothnia from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 34; matron. From Chesire, England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,694 records for Farr in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia819 records

819 records of the Farr name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 433
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 127
  • Other Australian records 259
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Susan Farr

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Waverley, sailing from Dublin in 1842. Native of Antrim. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1843.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Elizabeth Anne Farr

    Died 1911 in Fitzroy Crescent, Hobart, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1911.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record James Edmund Farr

    Born 1876 in Hobart, Tasmania. Died 1935 in Tasmania, aged 59.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 819 records for Farr in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Germany97 records

97 records of the Farr name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 96
  • German emigration and citizenship files 1
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Adolf Farr

    From Frankfurt a. M. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 22 April 1919 (Infantry Regiment No. 32).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Mattheus Farr

    Emigrated to North America in 1850.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Wilhelm Farr

    From Rinderbügen, Friedberg. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 16 July 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 97 records for Farr in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0).

Canada79 records

79 records of the Farr name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 18
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 17
  • Other Canadian records 44
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Wm Farr

    Came to Ontario in 1873 aboard the Texas, bound for Parry Sound, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Dorothy Janett Farr

    Buried in 1975 at St. Mary's Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 68.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Frederick Farr

    Died 1964 in Truro, Colchester, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 79 records for Farr in Canada.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom43 records

43 records of the Farr name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 26
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 16
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William C. Farr

    Buried in 1828 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 37.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Thomas Farr

    Will proved in 1927; of Oystermouth.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record P. Farr

    Yeomanry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 43 records for Farr in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand38 records

38 records of the Farr name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 22
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 9
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 7
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Neville Northland Farr

    Died 1942, aged 41; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Theodora Meta Elizabeth Farr

    Born 1912, died 1993; buried at Oxford Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ethel Farr

    Died 1904, aged 22; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 38 records for Farr in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands17 records

17 records of the Farr name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 11
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 6
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Timothy Farr

    Died 1964 in Venlo, aged 21.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Sarah Farr

    Died 1884 in Vlissingen, aged 85.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Gustav Wilhelm Farr

    Died 1929 in Rotterdam, aged 46.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 17 records for Farr in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Belgium15 records

15 records of the Farr name in Belgium
  • Belgian population registers 11
  • Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 4
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Joannes Farr

    Married in 1853 in Aalst; merchant, born 1825 in Ulm (Wurttemberg). Died 1865 in Aelst, aged 39; "bedienden".

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Aalst (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Fredolin Farr

    Died 1871 in Aalst; born in Brussel.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Aalst (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Jean Farr

    In the population register of Aalst; clerk, born 1826 in Wurtemberg.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Aalst (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 15 records for Farr in Belgium.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France1 record

1 record of the Farr name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Adolphe Farr

    Born 1914 in Algeria; died 1991 in Perpignan (Pyrénées-Orientales).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Farr.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Farr is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Farr volume
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