National Ford Day - Today is National Ford Day, which invites us to delve deeper into the history of our surname and decipher its significance.

National Ford Day 2025 – March 6, 2025

National Ford Day is celebrated annually on March 6. Ford is a boy’s name that originated in the United Kingdom. “A shallow location where water can pass,” the name ‘Ford’ comes from Old English; ‘river crossing’ and ‘dwellers at the ford’ are two of the most common definitions. There have been many prominent Fords throughout history, including the novelist Ford Madox Ford and Henry Ford, the father of Ford automobiles. Your baby will be in excellent company since legendary Fords have glistened throughout history. Ford’s surname, which means ‘pass or crossing,’ is said to have been given to someone who lived near a ford or river crossing. Ford might also potentially have been derived from English localities named Ford, such as Ford in Northumberland, Somerset, Shropshire, West Sussex, and Dorset.

History of National Ford Day

According to surname distribution statistics from Forebears, a service that provides the best approximation of surname distribution that is not necessarily accurate down to the individual, the Ford surname originated in the Netherlands but is today most common in the United States. It is, nonetheless, relatively widespread in Chile and Columbia. During the 1880s, the name was more widespread in the United States than it is now, particularly in the states of New York and New Jersey.According to WorldNames PublicProfiler, the Ford surname is presently the most frequent by percentage in the U.S. states of Alaska, Arkansas, New Jersey, Illinois, and Connecticut. The surname is also an anglicized version of three Irish surnames in some situations. Mac Giolla na Naomh, which means ‘son of Gilla na Naomh,’ and Mac Conshámha, which means ‘son of Conshnámha,’ are two such surnames. Because the last syllable of these surnames was formerly mistakenly assumed to be the Irish “áth,” they were anglicized Ford (“ford”). Fuartháin, which means ‘descendant of Fuarthán,’ is another Irish surname anglicized Ford. The given name Fuartháin, originating from the Irish ‘fuar’ (‘cold’), was originally mistakenly rendered as ‘ford’ since it was thought to symbolize the Irish ‘fuarathán’ (‘cold small ford’). The first two Irish surnames were carried by septs based in Connacht, while the third was carried by a sept based in County Cork (in the province of Munster).In certain circumstances, the surname Ford is an Americanized version of a Jewish surname with a similar sounding name, or it is a translation of the German ‘Fürth.’ ‘De la forda’ appears in the 11th century A.D., whereas ‘aet Fordan’ appears in the 12th century, “de la Forthe” appears in the 13th century, while ‘Foorde’ and ‘de Furd’ appear in the 16th century. Because numerous Ford families have emigrated to Ireland at various points throughout history, the surname Ford may be of English or Irish origin when encountered in Ireland.

National Ford Day timeline

1903
The Beginning of Ford Motor Company

The Ford Motor Company is founded by Henry Ford and 12 people with a $28,000 investment, and the first automobile constructed by the company is sold.

1942
Academy Award-Winning Director

John Ford has the chance (or maybe the unavoidable obligation) to live up to the manly code he helped create in his many films, which earn him an Academy Award for best documentary.

1955
Million Seller

Tennessee Ernie Ford is most known as a singer and recording artist, and his album of "Sixteen Tons" sells over 20 million copies worldwide since its debut right before Christmas.

1974
38th President of the United States

Gerald Ford is the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977.

National Ford Day FAQs

Who thought of the name Ford?

The surname Ford has several different origins.

When was the name Ford found?

Between 1840 and 1920, the Ford surname was found in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Scotland.

Is the Ford Family still in control of the Ford Motor Company?

The Ford family owns only a portion of the company. Non-family members such as Joseph Henrich and Mark Fields now possess significant amounts of the company’s stock.

National Ford Day Activities

  1. Share the story of your own name

    You are allowed to share the origins, history, and meaning of your own name. People grow to esteem each other's backgrounds as they learn more about each other, and they ponder on the relationship between name, identity, and cultural heritage, as they learn more about each other.

  2. Be like Henry Ford

    Who hasn't heard of Henry Ford, the man who created the Ford Motor Company, the world's best-selling automobile manufacturer? Knowing how you have the same name as the billionaire may provide you the opportunity to liven up his name! It is not necessary to work for Ford Motor Company but to attempt to emulate the qualities of a successful visionary such as Henry Ford.

  3. Explore the origins of your name

    Look a bit deeper and consider why your parents or relatives gave you the name. Once you've worked out what your name means, attempt to live up to the attitude it conveys.

5 Fun Facts About Ford

  1. Significant impact

    Since its founding 110 years ago, the Ford Motor Company has had a considerable impact on the automobile industry.

  2. Second largest family-owned company

    Ford is the world's second-largest family-owned firm, with Henry Ford's great-grandson, William Clay Ford, Jr., serving as its executive chairman.

  3. Oustanding surname Fords

    President Gerald (born Leslie Lynch King, Jr.) and his wife Betty, entrepreneur Henry, and actor Harrison, to mention a few, are among the numerous notable Fords.

  4. The average life expectancy

    Ford's average life expectancy was 40 years in 1940 and 73 in 2004.

  5. Ford surname D.N.A. project

    This D.N.A. surname project, which employs Y-DNA, mtDNA, and autosomal D.N.A. to put together multiple Ford lines back to common ancestors, now has over 300 members.

Why We Love National Ford Day

  1. It carries deep personal connections

    They are intertwined with profound personal, cultural, family, and historical ties. They also provide us with a sense of who we are, our place in the world, and the groups to which we belong.

  2. It is part of you

    Your name is a part of you. It describes you in certain ways and we love this!

  3. It has a powerful meaning

    Because words have such power, our children's names must have meaning. They must contain something that needs a certain degree of understanding.

National Ford Day dates

Year Date Day
2023 March 6 Monday
2024 March 6 Wednesday
2025 March 6 Thursday
2026 March 6 Friday
2027 March 6 Saturday