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Ferrier Family History

Ferrier Surname Meaning

Scottish and English: occupational name for a smith, one who shoed horses from Old French ferrier ‘blacksmith, ironworker’ (medieval Latin ferrarius from ferrus ‘horseshoe’ from Latin ferrum ‘iron’). Compare Farrier Farrar.

Scottish and English: occupational name for a ferryman from Middle English ferier(e) ‘ferryman’. Black reports that lands called Ferrylands in Dumbarton by a ferry across the Clyde belonged to Robert Ferrier in 151.

French: occupational name from Old French ferrier ‘blacksmith, farrier’ (see 1 above).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Ferrier family from?

You can see how Ferrier families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ferrier family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ferrier families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 105 Ferrier families living in London. This was about 25% of all the recorded Ferrier's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Ferrier families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ferrier surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Ferrier ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Plumber and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Ferrier. 15% of Ferrier men worked as a Plumber and 80% of Ferrier women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ferrier were Wood Machinist and Private Means.

View Census Data for Ferrier | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Plumber
    15%
  • General Labourer
    15%
  • Carpenter
    12%
  • Wood Machinist
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Dressmaker
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Ferrier family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 46,000 census records available for the last name Ferrier. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ferrier census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ferrier

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Ferrier. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ferrier immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Ferrier. For the veterans among your Ferrier ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ferrier military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ferrier family history

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What is the average Ferrier lifespan?

Between 1948 and 2004, in the United States, Ferrier life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Ferrier in 1948 was 47, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ferrier

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ferrier ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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