UK surname
A locational surname indicating someone from a place with a "fern" or bracken stream or brook.
In the 1881 census there were 73 people recorded with the Fehrenbach surname, ranking it #23,220 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 40, ranked #35,434, down from #23,220 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bishop Stortford, Carlisle St Mary, Eaglesfield Abbey and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fehrenbach is 115 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 45.2%.
1881 census count
73
Ranked #23,220
Modern count
40
2016, ranked #35,434
Peak year
1901
115 bearers
Map years
1
1901 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Fehrenbach surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Fehrenbach surname density by area, 1901 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 15 | #30,614 |
| 1861 | historical | 8 | #32,887 |
| 1881 | historical | 73 | #23,220 |
| 1891 | historical | 79 | #26,897 |
| 1901 | historical | 115 | #21,050 |
| 1911 | historical | 62 | #26,622 |
| 1997 | modern | 43 | #33,361 |
| 1998 | modern | 50 | #32,899 |
| 1999 | modern | 52 | #32,848 |
| 2000 | modern | 54 | #32,710 |
| 2001 | modern | 50 | #32,957 |
| 2002 | modern | 54 | #32,927 |
| 2003 | modern | 55 | #32,895 |
| 2004 | modern | 55 | #33,154 |
| 2005 | modern | 53 | #33,528 |
| 2006 | modern | 48 | #34,245 |
| 2007 | modern | 50 | #34,347 |
| 2008 | modern | 49 | #34,580 |
| 2009 | modern | 46 | #34,918 |
| 2010 | modern | 47 | #35,009 |
| 2011 | modern | 47 | #34,989 |
| 2012 | modern | 37 | #35,531 |
| 2013 | modern | 41 | #35,384 |
| 2014 | modern | 41 | #35,396 |
| 2015 | modern | 42 | #35,322 |
| 2016 | modern | 40 | #35,434 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bishop Stortford, Carlisle St Mary, Eaglesfield Abbey, Edinburgh, Kidderminster and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bishop Stortford | Hertfordshire |
| 2 | Carlisle St Mary, Eaglesfield Abbey | Cumberland |
| 3 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 4 | Kidderminster | Worcestershire |
| 5 | London parishes | London 2 |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Fehrenbach surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fehrenbach, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Fehrenbach surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Fehrenbach household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Fehrenbach is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fehrenbach is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Fehrenbach, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Fehrenbach originates from Germany, with its earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. The name is derived from the Middle High German words "fere" meaning journey and "bach" meaning stream or brook, suggesting it may have originally referred to a person living near a stream frequented by travelers.
One of the earliest mentions of the name can be found in the church records of the town of Kinding, located in the German state of Bavaria, where a certain Hans Fehrenbach is recorded as a resident in 1532. Around the same period, the name also appears in various tax and census records in other parts of Bavaria and the neighboring regions of Swabia and Franconia.
In the 17th century, the name Fehrenbach began to spread further across Germany, with records showing individuals bearing this surname in cities like Nuremberg, Augsburg, and Würzburg. A notable figure from this era was Johann Fehrenbach, a respected jurist and professor at the University of Heidelberg, who lived from 1620 to 1688.
The 18th century saw the emergence of several prominent Fehrenbachs, including Johann Georg Fehrenbach (1711-1789), a renowned theologian and author from Württemberg, and Johann Jakob Fehrenbach (1745-1823), a successful merchant and landowner in the Palatinate region.
As the industrial revolution took hold in the 19th century, many Fehrenbachs migrated from rural areas to urban centers in search of employment. One such individual was Karl Fehrenbach (1820-1895), a pioneering textile manufacturer from Baden who played a significant role in the development of the German textile industry.
The 20th century brought forth several noteworthy individuals with the surname Fehrenbach, including Konstantin Fehrenbach (1919-2008), a celebrated German artist known for his abstract expressionist paintings, and Wilhelm Fehrenbach (1897-1968), a prominent politician who served as the first Minister President of Baden-Württemberg after World War II.
Throughout its history, the surname Fehrenbach has maintained a strong presence in various regions of Germany, particularly in the southern states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and the Palatinate. While its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, the name has endured and continues to be carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fehrenbach surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 18 Fehrenbachs recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.53x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 18 | 2.53x |
| Worcestershire | 12 | 12.91x |
| Midlothian | 9 | 9.44x |
| Kent | 8 | 3.29x |
| Warwickshire | 8 | 4.46x |
| Essex | 6 | 4.27x |
| Hertfordshire | 4 | 8.15x |
| Cumberland | 3 | 4.89x |
| Gloucestershire | 2 | 1.43x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 1.87x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.81x |
| Perthshire | 1 | 3.13x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kidderminster Borough in Worcestershire leads with 12 Fehrenbachs recorded in 1881 and an index of 220.59x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Kidderminster Borough | 12 | 220.59x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 9 | 23.46x |
| St George In East London | 9 | 134.33x |
| Edgbaston | 8 | 143.63x |
| Chatham | 7 | 104.79x |
| Kelvedon | 6 | 1621.62x |
| Poplar London | 6 | 44.64x |
| Bishop Stortford | 4 | 243.90x |
| St Anne Soho London | 3 | 73.71x |
| St Mary Within | 3 | 389.61x |
| Stapleton | 2 | 75.47x |
| Caputh | 1 | 200.00x |
| Greenwich | 1 | 8.83x |
| Llanwonno | 1 | 22.47x |
| Reading St Mary | 1 | 23.36x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Fehrenbach surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Fehrenbach surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Fehrenbach households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 20 |
| Watch & Clock Maker | 6 |
| Watchmaker | 4 |
| Watch Maker | 3 |
| Watchmaker Jeweller | 2 |
| (Master) Watchmaker & Jeweler | 1 |
| Baker | 1 |
| Book Seller | 1 |
| Clock And Watchmaker | 1 |
| Clockmaker | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Milliner | 1 |
| Shopkeeper (Gen) | 1 |
| Solicitors Clerk | 1 |
| Watch & Clockmaker | 1 |
| Watchmakers Assistant | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 73 people were recorded with the Fehrenbach surname. That placed it at #23,220 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 40 in 2016. That gives Fehrenbach a modern rank of #35,434.
A locational surname indicating someone from a place with a "fern" or bracken stream or brook.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Fehrenbach bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.