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Farrell Family History

Farrell Name Meaning

Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Fearghail ‘descendant of Fearghal’ a personal name composed of the elements fear ‘man’ + gal ‘valor courage’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Farrelly, Harrell, Farren, O'farrell, Hurrell, Correll, Gorrell

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Farrell family from?

You can see how Farrell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Farrell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Farrell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 100 Farrell families living in New York. This was about 48% of all the recorded Farrell's in USA. New York had the highest population of Farrell families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Farrell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Farrell ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Farrell. 11% of Farrell men worked as a Laborer and 9% of Farrell women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Farrell were Farmer and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Farrell | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    11%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Farmer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    9%
  • Clerk
    7%
  • Teacher
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Farrell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 445,000 census records available for the last name Farrell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Farrell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Farrell

Passenger Lists

There are 91,000 immigration records available for the last name Farrell. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Farrell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 83,000 military records available for the last name Farrell. For the veterans among your Farrell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Farrell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Farrell family history

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What is the average Farrell lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Farrell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Farrell in 1940 was 56, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Farrell

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