FARRIS
Farris is a surname that emerged in the British Isles, with roots in England, Scotland and Gaelic Ireland. The name is an Anglicised form of the medieval Christian personal name Fergus, itself derived from the Gaelic Fearghas which translates literally to “man of vigour” or “man of force”. These elements, fear meaning “man” and gus meaning “vigour” or “force”, convey an association of the name with strength, power and resilience.
The earliest recorded form of the name in an English‑speaking document is that of Ferris, a version of the Gaelic O' Fearghusa – where the prefix O' denotes “grandson” or “male descendant” – dating from the 1586 Census of County Kerry in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The name was used in clear calendared records such as the 1700 christening of Thomas Farris in St. Martin in the Fields, Westminster, London, and the 1567 marriage of Mary Farris to William Pamer in St. Margaret's Lothburg, London.
In addition to Farris and Ferris, related English spellings include O Fergus, Farrissy and simply Fergus. The name has a strong presence in north‑east Ulster where it was historically used as a synonym for the family names Fairy and O' Ferry. In County Kerry the name is associated with a branch of the O' Moriartys, a sept closely linked to that region, and the name appears in historical records of Kerry under the cognomen of that noble house.
Throughout the post‑16th‑century period the surname migrated beyond Ireland into mainland Britain and, in later centuries, into other English‑speaking countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia. The expansion of the name follows patterns of migration and emigration that were common to many families of Irish and Scottish descent during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Today, Farris remains a recognizable surname with established usage across the English‑speaking world. Its legacy, embedded in its Gaelic roots and medieval Christian heritage, continues to reflect the historical strength and resilience associated with its origins.
Typical given names associated with the Farris surname
Male
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Matthew
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Simon
- Stephen
Female
- Alison
- Amanda
- Andrea
- Fiona
- Karen
- Lisa
- Mary
- Rosemary
- Susan
- Suzanne
- Vivienne
Similar and related surnames
- Fairris
- Fairy
- Faires
- Fairey
- Fairies
- Fahri
- Fairs
- Fairie
- Farria
- Fares
- Fari
- Farias
- Farie
- Faries
- Faris
- Farish
- Fariss
- Fariz
- Farr
- Farras
- Farres
- Farrey
- Farrie
- Farries
- Farrin
- Farrins
- Farrisey
- Farrish
- Farriss
- Farrows
- Farrs
- Farry
- Fars
- Farys
- Faurie
- Fayres
- Fearis
- Feries
- Feris
- Feriz
- Ferres
- Ferri
- Ferrie
- Ferries
- Ferris
- Ferrise
- Ferriss
- Ferriz
- Firrie
- Firris
- Foris
- Forys
- Furrie
- Furris
- Pharis
- Pharris
- Varis
- Varri
- Varrie
- Varris
- Verries
- Verris
- Faiers
- Fairish
- Faras
- Faria
- Farih
- Fariq
- Farisey
- Farissi
- Farist
- Farre
- Fary
- Fawi
- Feares
- Fearria
- Feri
- Ferise
- Ferrish
- Firs
- Fori
- Furi
- Varias
- Veris
- Voris
- Farid
- Fears
- Ferry
- Forse
- Furze
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Farris in...
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There are approximately 480 people named Farris in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around seven in a million people in Britain are named Farris.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Farris
- Miriam Allott or Miriam Farris; Miriam Farris Allott; Miriam Allott-Farris - Literary scholar (1920 to 2010)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.