Farber
A surname usually tied to an occupational name for a craftsman or worker, especially one connected with dyeing or a similar trade in Germanic usage.
The #5,077 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 44,765 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Farber is most commonly understood as a German occupational surname from Middle High German words connected with color or dyeing, and in later use also through Yiddish. In German, the related surname form often points to a dyer or someone working with coloring matter, rather than to the modern English word "farber." In Jewish family names, Farber can also reflect this same occupational sense through Yiddish/German naming practice.
History
The name is found among both German-speaking and Ashkenazi Jewish families, and in English-speaking countries it often arrived through immigration from Central and Eastern Europe. Spelling in records can vary, sometimes reflecting local pronunciation or the family’s route through German or Yiddish. Because it is an occupational surname, it likely arose independently in more than one place.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because the surname is occupational, unrelated families could adopt the same name independently if they were associated with the same trade.