UK surname
A surname indicating an ancestor's occupation involving a furnace, such as a metalworker or glassmaker.
In the 1881 census there were 167 people recorded with the Furnace surname, ranking it #14,443 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 47, ranked #35,069, down from #14,443 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Workington (Workington), Clossocks, Peterborough St John the Baptist and Doddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Furnace is 249 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 71.9%.
1881 census count
167
Ranked #14,443
Modern count
47
2016, ranked #35,069
Peak year
1861
249 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Furnace surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Furnace surname density by area, 1881 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 | 208 | #10,107 |
| 1861 | historical | 249 | #9,904 |
| 1881 | historical | 167 | #14,443 |
| 1891 | historical | 118 | #21,540 |
| 1901 | historical | 133 | #19,372 |
| 1911 | historical | 102 | #22,465 |
| 1997 | modern | 51 | #32,545 |
| 1998 | modern | 52 | #32,732 |
| 1999 | modern | 53 | #32,746 |
| 2000 | modern | 55 | #32,609 |
| 2001 | modern | 61 | #31,891 |
| 2002 | modern | 50 | #33,282 |
| 2003 | modern | 47 | #33,619 |
| 2004 | modern | 45 | #33,957 |
| 2005 | modern | 39 | #34,652 |
| 2006 | modern | 45 | #34,491 |
| 2007 | modern | 44 | #34,760 |
| 2008 | modern | 47 | #34,699 |
| 2009 | modern | 48 | #34,798 |
| 2010 | modern | 46 | #35,062 |
| 2011 | modern | 46 | #35,047 |
| 2012 | modern | 47 | #34,992 |
| 2013 | modern | 45 | #35,167 |
| 2014 | modern | 47 | #35,097 |
| 2015 | modern | 48 | #35,004 |
| 2016 | modern | 47 | #35,069 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Workington (Workington), Clossocks, Peterborough St John the Baptist, Doddington, Birmingham Town: Birmingham 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 | Workington (Workington), Clossocks | Cumberland |
| 2 | Peterborough St John the Baptist | Northamptonshire |
| 3 | Doddington | Cambridgeshire |
| 4 | Birmingham Town: Birmingham | Warwickshire |
| 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 Furnace 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 Furnace, 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 Furnace surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Furnace 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, Furnace 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 Furnace is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Furnace, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Furnace is of English origin, deriving from an occupational name for someone who worked with or lived near a furnace. The name can be traced back to the late 13th century, with early spellings including "le Furnays" and "Forneys."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Furnace appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a John le Furner is listed. This variation of the name, "Furner," was common in medieval times and referred to someone who tended a furnace or kiln.
The Furnace surname is likely related to various place names in England, such as Furness in Cumbria and Furnace Green in Surrey. These places may have been named for the presence of furnaces or kilns used in industrial processes or pottery-making.
In the 16th century, the Furnace name can be found in the parish records of Prestbury, Gloucestershire, with the baptism of John Furnace recorded in 1591. Another early bearer of the name was William Furnace, a yeoman from Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, whose will was proved in 1620.
One notable individual with the Furnace surname was Thomas Furnace (c. 1589-1644), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1641 to 1644.
In the 17th century, the Furnace name appears in the records of the Middleton family of Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex. Sir Hugh Middleton (1556-1631), the famous engineer and entrepreneur responsible for bringing fresh water to London through the New River project, had a daughter named Jane who married John Furnace.
Another significant figure was Samuel Furnace (1672-1744), a London merchant and philanthropist who left a substantial bequest to support the education of poor children in his hometown of Woodstock, Oxfordshire.
The Furnace surname can also be found in the United States from the 18th century onwards, likely due to immigration from England. One early American bearer was John Furnace (1720-1801), a farmer and militiaman from Pennsylvania who served in the Revolutionary War.
Throughout its history, the surname Furnace has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, from clergymen and academics to merchants and farmers, reflecting the diverse origins and occupations associated with this occupational name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Furnace 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. Durham leads with 35 Furnaces recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.27x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Durham | 35 | 7.27x |
| Cumberland | 25 | 17.93x |
| Cambridgeshire | 20 | 19.50x |
| Yorkshire | 19 | 1.18x |
| Northamptonshire | 16 | 10.50x |
| Middlesex | 14 | 0.86x |
| Warwickshire | 6 | 1.47x |
| Lancashire | 5 | 0.26x |
| Northumberland | 4 | 1.66x |
| Devon | 3 | 0.89x |
| Huntingdonshire | 3 | 9.33x |
| Lincolnshire | 3 | 1.16x |
| Carmarthenshire | 2 | 2.93x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 0.60x |
| Hertfordshire | 2 | 1.79x |
| Staffordshire | 2 | 0.37x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 0.82x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.18x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.40x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 0.51x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.13x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stanhope in Durham leads with 21 Furnaces recorded in 1881 and an index of 422.54x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Stanhope | 21 | 422.54x |
| Benwick | 20 | 4444.44x |
| Warley | 10 | 215.52x |
| Dearham | 8 | 434.78x |
| Towcester | 8 | 509.55x |
| Mile End Old Town London | 7 | 20.31x |
| Stainburn | 7 | 5384.62x |
| Birmingham | 6 | 4.41x |
| Kensington London | 6 | 6.66x |
| Westoe | 5 | 18.31x |
| Dawdon | 4 | 67.45x |
| Keswick | 4 | 224.72x |
| Liverpool | 4 | 3.43x |
| Peterborough | 4 | 36.26x |
| Workington | 4 | 50.13x |
| East Thickley | 3 | 306.12x |
| Greatford | 3 | 2500.00x |
| Horton In Bradford | 3 | 11.97x |
| Paston | 3 | 461.54x |
| St Neots | 3 | 171.43x |
| Stoke Damerel | 3 | 12.72x |
| Bilton Cum Harrogate | 2 | 36.43x |
| Harborne | 2 | 11.42x |
| Llanelly | 2 | 13.01x |
| St Cuthbert W O | 2 | 29.41x |
| Westgate | 2 | 13.40x |
| Alverstoke | 1 | 8.33x |
| Benfieldside | 1 | 31.55x |
| Brightside Bierlow | 1 | 3.18x |
| Burgate | 1 | 625.00x |
| Byker | 1 | 8.40x |
| Eccleshill | 1 | 25.58x |
| Everton | 1 | 1.63x |
| Hardingstone | 1 | 68.97x |
| Huddersfield | 1 | 4.28x |
| Linthorpe | 1 | 10.44x |
| Newcastle On Tyne St John | 1 | 31.55x |
| Portsea | 1 | 1.54x |
| Ramsgate | 1 | 11.09x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 1 | 3.07x |
| St Albans | 1 | 43.67x |
| Stockton On Tees | 1 | 4.31x |
| Thatcham | 1 | 53.48x |
| Tottenham | 1 | 3.88x |
| Watford | 1 | 11.56x |
| West Tofts | 1 | 1000.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Furnace 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 Furnace 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 Furnace households.
FAQ
In 1881, 167 people were recorded with the Furnace surname. That placed it at #14,443 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 47 in 2016. That gives Furnace a modern rank of #35,069.
A surname indicating an ancestor's occupation involving a furnace, such as a metalworker or glassmaker.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Furnace 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.