Farrar (surname)

Farrar is an occupational surname for a blacksmith or ironworker derived from the Latin ferrarius, Middle English Ferror or Anglo-Norman ferrur.

[2] The subsidy roll (Poll Tax of 1379), for the town of Elland, Halifax parish, Morley Wapentake, West Riding of Yorkshire lists a Johannes de Helistones, fferror & uxor (John of Helistones, Ferror and (his) wife, indicating that he was a "ferror"; also in the same subsidy roll is Henricus de Langfeld', ffranklayn, & uxor, which translates into Henry of Langfeld, freeman and (his) wife.

[3][4] The earliest documented appearance of the surname is the Register of Freemen of York, 1410–1411 with Johannes Ferror, a littestar (dyer of wool or lister, litster).

[5][6] Due to varying levels of literacy and regional dialects, the name could be written as Farrar, Pharo, Farra, Ferrar, Farrer, Ferrers, or Farrow.

As an example of how the spelling can change over time: Henry Ferror is listed in Halifax Wills being Abstracts and Translations 1545–1559.

Arms: Argent on a bend engrailed Sable three horse-shoes of the first, a crescent for difference.

Matthew Thomas Farrer, MA, of Ingleborough, (1816–89), Vicar of Addington and Perpetual Curate of Shirley.