Farmer Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Farmer Name Meaning: From Middle English & Old French 'ferm(i)er', one who collected taxes, revenues & imposts.

These first 'farmers' acted as brokers for major landowners or the crown & selected applicants to work the tenanted lands. Not applied to an owner of cultivated land until the 17th century.

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Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Farmer Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Farmer family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 719
Agricultural Labourer 241
House Servant 124
Labourer 91
At Home 79
Farm Labourer 76
Dress Maker 59
Servant 50
Laundress 38
Scholar At Home 33
General Servant 31
Ag Labourer 29
Annuitant 28
Shoe Maker 27
Pauper 26
Gardener 26
House Keeper 24
Carpenter 23
Butcher 22
Farmer 22
Stone Mason 22
Farm Servant 21
Farmers Son 20
Errand Boy 20
Coal Miner 18

Farmer Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Farmer 100% 64,933
2 Fermor 67% 1,973
3 Farmar 83% 649
4 Fermer 83% 439
5 Framer 67% 388
6 Former 83% 323

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The surname Farmer is the most popular version of all its varients

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