Fermin
Fermin is usually treated as a form of Firmin, a surname and given name ultimately linked to the Latin name Firminus, meaning “steadfast” or “firm.”
The #6,678 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 61,053 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Most evidence points to Fermin as a variant of Firmin, itself from the Latin personal name Firminus, based on firmus, meaning “firm,” “steadfast,” or “strong.” In French and Spanish usage the name was often carried into surname form from a personal name rather than from a common noun. Some 19th-century writers also treated forms like Fermin as part of a broader family of phonetic or regional variants.
History
The name appears in French and Spanish naming traditions, and the excerpts specifically connect Fermin with French Firmin/Fremin and with Spanish forms. In the United States it is relatively uncommon, and many modern bearers likely have Hispanic or French-family connections. Because the historical sources are mostly incidental mentions, the exact path into any one family line may vary.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Saint Firmin was an early Christian bishop of Amiens, and saintly names like his often became both given names and surnames.
From the historical record
“position. Fermin, Ferminet. F. et dér. de Firmin. Fernan , Fernand , Fernan- dez. Abr. de Ferdinand. Fernandez veut dire fils de Fernand (Esp.).”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)