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 1,142
Agricultural Labourer 228
Labourer 153
General Servant 98
Domestic Servant 77
Dress Maker 58
Laundress 50
Coal Miner 45
Annuitant 40
Servant 35
Carpenter 33
House Keeper 32
Farmer 30
No Occupation 29
Farm Servant 26
Butcher 25
Farm Labourer 24
Shoe Maker 23
Ag Labourer 23
Gardener 22
Cook 21
Bricklayer 21
Clerk 20
Dressmaker 19
Groom 17

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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