Meaning and origin
The last name Humphrey is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German personal name "Hunfrid," which consisted of the elements "hun" meaning "bear cub" or "warrior," and "frid" meaning "peace." The name was introduced to England by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066 and subsequently became widespread, evolving into various forms such as Umfrey, Humphrey, and Humphreys.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#705
Humphrey was the 705th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 49,056 people, about 17 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Humphrey
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Humphrey is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.