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FARMER Family History

This English medieval job descriptive surname, recorded in the spellings of Farmer, Farmar, Fermer and Fermor, is of Olde French pre 10th century origins. Most people are surprised to know that originally the surname had nothing to with actually tilling the soil. Based upon the word "fermier", the name describes an early financier or collector of tithes and taxes, one who specialised in "farming " land leases. These first farmers would act as brokers for the crown or the major landowners, selecting applicants to work the tenanted lands on the basis usually of who paid most. The "farmers" in time became rich in their own right, and then reversed the process by purchasing land themselves on which in the modern sense, they then "farmed"...

Who have we missed?

Tell us about any famous FARMER (or surname variant) you think we should add here. We will get our genealogists to check them out and add them to the list. Thanks!