NameCensus.

UK surname

Ferre

A surname derived from the Latin word "ferrum" meaning iron, indicating an ancestor's occupation as a metalworker or blacksmith.

In the 1881 census there were 16 people recorded with the Ferre surname, ranking it #31,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 137, ranked #25,254, up from #31,301 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Havant and Portsmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ferre is 139 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 756.3%.

1881 census count

16

Ranked #31,301

Modern count

137

2016, ranked #25,254

Peak year

2014

139 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ferre had 16 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,301 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016, ranked #25,254.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 39 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Ferre surname distribution map

The map shows where the Ferre surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Ferre surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ferre over time

The 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 17 #31,714
1881 historical 16 #31,301
1891 historical 16 #32,868
1901 historical 39 #29,799
1911 historical 39 #29,025
1997 modern 96 #27,490
1998 modern 106 #26,689
1999 modern 107 #26,754
2000 modern 99 #27,845
2001 modern 95 #28,101
2002 modern 102 #27,596
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 107 #26,875
2006 modern 113 #26,267
2007 modern 120 #25,606
2008 modern 121 #25,785
2009 modern 118 #26,766
2010 modern 128 #26,036
2011 modern 131 #25,430
2012 modern 129 #25,705
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 139 #25,093
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 137 #25,254

Geography

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Where Ferres are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Havant and Portsmouth. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Havant 010 Havant
2 Havant 008 Havant
3 Havant 006 Havant
4 Havant 009 Havant
5 Portsmouth 001 Portsmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ferre

These lists show first names that appear often with the Ferre surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ferre

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ferre, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Ferre surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Ferre household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ferre is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ferre is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ferre falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ferre is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ferre, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ferre

The surname Ferre has its origins in France and can be traced back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "ferre," meaning "iron" or "ironsmith." This occupational surname was likely given to those who worked as blacksmiths or iron workers during that time period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ferre can be found in the records of the village of Marly-le-Roi in the Île-de-France region of northern France, where a family bearing this surname resided in the late 1500s. However, variations of the name, such as Ferré, Ferret, and Ferrière, can be found in historical documents from other regions of France as well.

In the 17th century, the name Ferre appeared in the records of the city of Toulouse in southern France. One notable figure from this era was Jean-Baptiste Ferre, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived from 1632 to 1698. Another individual of note was Marie-Thérèse Ferre, a nun and author who lived from 1647 to 1721 and is known for her writings on spiritual matters.

During the 18th century, the surname Ferre gained further prominence in various parts of France. One notable figure was François-Joseph Ferre, a renowned architect who lived from 1714 to 1794 and was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Paris and its surrounding areas.

In the 19th century, the name Ferre continued to be well-represented in French society. One notable figure was Émile Ferre, a political activist and member of the Paris Commune who lived from 1838 to 1871. He was executed for his role in the Commune's uprising against the French government.

As the centuries passed, the surname Ferre spread beyond the borders of France and can now be found in various parts of the world, particularly in regions where French immigrants settled, such as Canada, the United States, and parts of Africa and the Caribbean.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ferre families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ferre surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Hampshire leads with 9 Ferres recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.06x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 9 30.06x
Middlesex 2 1.37x
Kent 1 2.01x
Lancashire 1 0.58x
Surrey 1 1.41x
Sussex 1 4.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alverstoke in Hampshire leads with 8 Ferres recorded in 1881 and an index of 740.74x.

Place Total Index
Alverstoke 8 740.74x
St Marylebone London 2 25.64x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 36.36x
Cobham 1 833.33x
Eastbourne 1 88.50x
Hackington St Stephen 1 3333.33x
Portsmouth 1 144.93x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ferre surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 1
Lucia 1
Mary 1
N. 1
Nicola 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ferre surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Robert 2
Alfred 1
Ernest 1
George 1
Henri 1
Henry 1
Thomas 1
William 1

Top occupations

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 Ferre households.

FAQ

Ferre surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ferre surname in 1881?

In 1881, 16 people were recorded with the Ferre surname. That placed it at #31,301 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ferre surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016. That gives Ferre a modern rank of #25,254.

What does the Ferre surname mean?

A surname derived from the Latin word "ferrum" meaning iron, indicating an ancestor's occupation as a metalworker or blacksmith.

What does the Ferre map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ferre bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.