Surname Farries - Meaning and Origin
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Farries: What does the surname Farries mean?
The last name Farries is an occupational surname deriving from the Old Middle English ‘fear-’ meaning 'animal, beast,’ combined with the Middle English ‘-rie’ meaning 'variety of.' A 'farrier' was thus a skilled professional who worked with animals and was often a blacksmith, training horses and shoeing them for work or leisure. This name is thought to have originated in Scotland, and records of Farries as a surname date back to the 13th century.
The Scottish spelling of Farrie or Farie was more common than the English form; this form can still be found in areas such as Scotland, Ireland and Northern England. A variant of the surname is also found in Norway, where Farresen is recorded as the name of a farm near Stavanger as far back as 1586.
Farrie/Farries/Farresen can be roughly translated as 'someone from the estate among the animals.' This would indicate that the original bearer of the surname Farries lived on or near a farm in which animals played an important role.
The Farries surname has many variants, which have arisen due to the diversity of languages throughout Europe. Some variations include Fairies, Farriese, Farison, Farrison, Farisonne, Farrar, Fearis, Fares, Farre and Ferris.
Today the surname Farries is most commonly found in Scotland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany and the United States. Those with the name today can take pride in their ancestry as skilled professionals who dedicated their lives to the care of animals.
Order DNA origin analysisFarries: Where does the name Farries come from?
The last name FARRIES is most commonly found today in Northern Ireland. It is an Ulster-Scots surname derived from the medieval barony of Farie or Ferrie, located near Larne on the east coast of County Antrim. It would have been used by some of the descendants of the Scoto-Norman settlers and their Scottish-Irish heirs who colonized this area in the early Middle Ages.
Farries is the twentieth most common surname in Northern Ireland, according to the 2018 Northern Ireland General Register Office report. It is firmly entrenched in County Antrim, especially around Larne, and is also found in neighbouring counties, including Belfast, Down, Londonderry, and Tyrone.
Since the Civil War of 1921, hundreds of thousands of northern Irish people have emigrated to other English-speaking countries. As a result, Farries is now also found in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It is estimated that almost 9,000 people today bear the surname.
The majority of Farries in modern times are descendants of the Ulster-Scots settlers of the 16th century. They have maintained a proud sense of cultural identity in spite of centuries of emigration and are still skiing the Ulster-Scots language in their families and communities.
Variations of the surname Farries
The surname Farries is thought to be of Scottish origin, and it can be spelled numerous ways. These include variants such as Faeries, Faris, Ferriss, Ferres, Farris, Ferries, Farries, Farrer, Ferrer, Ferries, and Farrish. It can also be spelled phonetically as Fairies, Faries, Farrie, or Ferie.
Farries is believed to be derived either from the Old French personal name Fergus or a Middle English nickname, which is derived from the Middle English word 'fere,' meaning 'companion.' As such, the surname could have originally indicated someone who was a ‘companion’ within a medieval, feudal arrangement.
This surname is found in English-speaking countries, particularly Scotland and England. Within the United States, it is well established in the state of Pennsylvania, where a Quaker family bearing this surname first settled in 1682.
The Farries surname may also be a habitational name referring to those from the village of Ferrieres-en-Gatinais in the Loiret department in north-central France.
Over the centuries, the surname Farries has seen several notable variations. Spelling variations of this family name include: Frieres, Frires, Freires, Fryers, Friers and many more.
The surname Farries is unique and distinct. It indicates a person of noble birth, and its many spelling variations offer an insight into the rich cultural and historical background of the Farries family.
Famous people with the name Farries
- Randolph Faries: is an American film and television producer.
- Mark Faries: is an American entrepreneur and former nationally ranked swimmer.
- Michael Faries: is an American composer and music producer.
- Danielle Faries: is an American singer, songwriter, and record executive.
- Charlie Faries: is an American professional baseball player.
- Elisabeth Faries: is an American model, actress, and spokesperson.
- Richard Faries: is an English actor, writer, and voice actor.
- William Faries: is an American software engineer and entrepreneur.
- Matthew Faries: is an American actor, director, and producer.
- Tyler Faries: is an American singer, songwriter, and producer.