Surname Farabee - Meaning and Origin

Farabee: What does the surname Farabee mean?

The last name Farabee is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to come from the French language. It is believed to be derived from the name Ferber, which is derived from the Latin word ferber, meaning "traveler." The spelling of the surname Farabee has varied over the years, including Ferbere, Farbere, Farbir, Farbere, and Farbery.

The surname Farabee is thought to be of locational origin, denoting someone who hailed from a place of ferbers. In the Middle Ages, ferbers were popular inns and an area was named after them in some cases. It is also likely that some bearers of the name added the prefix 'far' to signify they came from at a place far away.

In more recent times the name has been associated with those who earned their right to take land from the Lord of the Manor. An additional explanation is that it referred to a person who hailed from a far away place. In Old French, the word 'fere' meant 'journey' and the suffix 'by' signified a village.

The earliest written record of the name Farabee appears to be found on a British census in the 19th century. Over time, the surname has had a variety of different spellings and it is thought to have originated in England and then spread to other parts of the world. Those who bear the name today can trace their ancestry back to England.

Farabee: Where does the name Farabee come from?

The last name Farabee is most common in the United States, with over 9300 entries in the US Census Bureau's database as of 2018. Farabee is thought to be a German-American rendition of the German name Fürbacher. It is thought to have originated from Fürbach, a town near Stuttgart, Germany which was founded in the 13th century. This name is also believed to be related to the French name Ferrari and the Italian name Ferreri.

Farabee is particularly popular in the Midwestern states, especially in the states of Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. Indiana has the highest concentration of Farabee families, with Chicago being the second-most populous city for the surname in the US. Farabee is also found among the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia, although it is much less common than in the Midwest.

Farabee is also present in smaller numbers in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with roughly 500 entries recorded in the UK Census of 2011. In Ireland, it is most common in the West Midlands region, and it appears at a higher frequency than average in Belfast and Dublin.

Although Farabee is most popular in parts of America and Europe, over 50 other nations and territories listed at least one Farabee family in their census records as of 2018. An analysis of last name distributions conducted in 2017 suggests that Farabee is slowly spreading outward from Europe and America. Thus, Farabee is likely to become more widely spread throughout the world in the near future.

Variations of the surname Farabee

The surname Farabee is derived from the English name Farley and is a habitational name, coming from one of various places in England called Farley. Farabee may also sometimes be spelled Faribee, Faribey, Farabeau, Faribault, and Farabough. The Dutch surname spelling is Farret, with the French version being Farré, and Far ey or Farray in northern England.

Variations in pronunciation of the name can exist, such as Fairbee, Farbo, Farboe, Farby, Feebee, Feebree, or Fyrby. Usage of the "Farr" spelling is more common in the south of England, while "Fare" is more often used in the Midlands and further north.

The Irish variant of the name is usually spelled in the Gaelic form Ferballa, while the French variant is usually spelled as Fera or Ferber. The Italian name is usually spelled Farozzo or Fabrio.

Some common variants or multiple spellings of Farabee include Ferby, Faerbee, Hiari, Barouh, Farb, Fabre, Ferb, Faree, Bairboe, Fairby, Fyrbee, Fybar, Fairbairn, Hyden, and Feld. These are all derived from Farabee and many of them have survived to the present day.

The Farabee surname can also be found in Germany and other countries, and there are typically different spellings in each country. In Germany, Farabey is a common spelling, while the Dutch Farret and the Italian Farozzo is often used. In Spain, the spelling is Faraxa and Fabro in Portugal. The Farabee surname is also common in Scotland and northern England, where the variant Farey is more common.

Famous people with the name Farabee

• Jimmy Farabee: American singer-songwriter, actor, poet, and record producer
• Wesley Farabee: Broadway composer and pianist
• Freddie Farabee: minor league baseball player in the early 1900s
• Caleb Farabee: professional American ice hockey player
• DeAndre Farabee: former professional tight end in the National Football League
• Charles Farabee: American architect and interior designer
• John Farabee: former NFL player and now the football analyst for California
• Anne Farabee: US film and television actress
• Mark Farabee: American basketball player and coach
• Ed Farabee: American film and television actor
• Matthew Farabee: American film and television producer
• Marsha Farabee: American actress and singer
• Christopher Farabee: former American football player and Super Bowl champion
• Carole Farabee: American actress
• Steven J. Farabee: American car designer
• Catherine Farabee: Classically trained Artist and Craftsman
• Brooke Farabee: American diver and Olympian
• Ryan Farabee: Drummer in the rock band “Rise Against”
• Kevin Farabee: Professional long drive golfer
• Mark Farabee: Olympic Weightlifter from the 1980s

Other surnames

Farabaugh