"come to the surface," 1898, from surface, n.. Earlier it meant "bring to the surface" (1885), and "to give something a (polished) surface" (1778). Related: Surfaced; surfacing.

1610s, from French surface "an outermost boundary, outside part" (16c.), from Old French sur- "above" (see sur-) + face (see face, n.). Patterned on Latin superficies "surface, upper side, top" (see superficial). As an adjective from 1660s.