2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Carnefix
A surname derived from the Latin "caro, carnis" meaning flesh and "fixus" meaning fastened, possibly referring to an occupation related to butchery or meat preparation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Carnefix. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Carnefix surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Carnefix in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Carnefix, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Carnefix
The surname CARNEFIX has its origins in France, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Languedoc, specifically in the town of Carnefox. The name is derived from the Old French words "carne," meaning flesh, and "fix," meaning fixed or attached, suggesting a possible occupation or trade of butchery or meat preparation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the "Livre Terrier de Carcassonne" from 1202, which mentions a "Pierre de Carnefix" as a landowner in the area. The name also appears in various tax records and property deeds throughout the 13th and 14th centuries in the surrounding villages and towns.
During the 15th century, the name CARNEFIX began to spread beyond the Languedoc region. In 1467, a "Jehan Carnefix" was documented as a merchant in the city of Lyon, indicating the family's involvement in trade and commerce. Around the same time, a "Guillaume Carnefix" was recorded as a scribe in the court of King Louis XI.
As the name continued to evolve, variations in spelling emerged, including Carnefixe, Carnefixe, and Carnefice. These alternative spellings can be found in various historical records, such as parish registers and census documents from the 16th and 17th centuries.
One notable individual bearing the surname CARNEFIX was Antoine Carnefix (1548-1621), a renowned physician and scholar from Montpellier. He authored several influential works on medicine and anatomy, and his contributions to the field were widely recognized during his lifetime.
Another prominent figure was Marguerite Carnefix (1612-1685), a French noblewoman known for her patronage of the arts and literature. She hosted salons in her chateau, attracting many prominent writers and intellectuals of the time.
In the 18th century, the CARNEFIX name gained recognition through the exploits of Jacques Carnefix (1726-1803), a military officer who served in the French Army during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. He was awarded the prestigious Order of Saint Louis for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
During the 19th century, the CARNEFIX surname continued to be present in various regions of France. Notable individuals included Pierre Carnefix (1812-1879), a renowned architect who designed several landmark buildings in Paris, and Émilie Carnefix (1841-1921), a celebrated painter and member of the Impressionist movement.
While the CARNEFIX name has persisted throughout history, its prevalence has remained relatively modest compared to more common French surnames. Nevertheless, its rich heritage and diverse connections to various professions and disciplines have contributed to its enduring legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Carnefix
Among Census respondents with the surname Carnefix, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Carnefix bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Carnefix surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Carnefix
Carnefix appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-9 bearers (-7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16,268 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-6 bearers (-5.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,814 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.1%) | Down 16,268 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.1%) | Down 6,814 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Carnefix surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #141,140 | #147,954 | -4.8% |
| Count | 118 | 112 | -5.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Carnefix bearers went from 118 to 112 (-5.1% change). The surname moved down 6,814 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #147,954.
FAQ
Carnefix surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Carnefix?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Carnefix. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Carnefix?
Carnefix ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Carnefix. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Carnefix.
Has Carnefix become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Carnefix went from 118 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Carnefix?
Among Census respondents with the surname Carnefix, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Carnefix in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Carnefix appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Hispanic (3.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Carnefix (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Carnefix mean?
A surname derived from the Latin "caro, carnis" meaning flesh and "fixus" meaning fastened, possibly referring to an occupation related to butchery or meat preparation. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Carnefix (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Carnefix?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.