Farnworth is a surname of English origin. It is of connected origin to the surname Farnsworth, but has been dated back further than that of the latter. The oldest known record for the name, appeared in Lancashire in 1185, in modern-day Farnworth, known then as Farnworth with Kearsley. The first chief for the Farnworth family clan, was a nobleman named Leinsig de Farnworth, who came from Germany and was granted land by King Henry II of England.
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The word Farnworth is a combination of two words; fearn and worth, where the old-English word fearn means fern, such as bracken and worth means a settlement. The full meaning of the surname is described as settlers from a place where ferns are abundant.
At the time of the British Census of 1881, its occurrence was high in Lancashire, Cumbria, Cheshire and Northumberland. In all other British counties, its frequency was, and still is very low .