Durfee
An old English surname most likely built from a place-name or an archaic local word, later carried to North America by early settlers.
The #8,308 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 77,399 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Durfee is generally treated as an English surname, probably from a local place-name or from an older dialect word whose exact form is now obscure. The first element may be related to Old English or Old French forms for a hill, ridge, or enclosure, while the second may reflect a later spelling reduction that obscured the original place-name. Because the surname is rare and early spellings vary, its precise literal meaning is not securely established.
History
The name is best known in New England, where it appears in early colonial records and later remained a distinctly regional surname. It is uncommon in Britain today, and modern American bearers likely descend from one or a few early immigrant lines. The spelling has been fairly stable in the U.S., though earlier records can show slight variation.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Durfee is uncommon enough that it has long been noted as a distinctive New England surname rather than a widespread English one.