Find out how popular the last name Fagan is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Fagan.

Fagan, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Fagan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fagan in America

Fagan is the 2063rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fagan surname appeared 17,501 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Fagan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fagan to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Fagan

The surname Fagan is of Irish origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval Gaelic name O'Fathagain. This name derives from the Old Irish word 'athach', meaning 'fierce' or 'violent', indicating that the original bearer may have been a warrior or a person of a fierce temperament.

Fagan is a anglicized version of the Irish surname O'Fathagain, which evolved over time due to the influence of the English language and the standardization of spelling. The earliest recorded instances of the Fagan surname can be found in various Irish annals and records from the 14th and 15th centuries.

One notable historical reference to the Fagan surname is found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention several individuals with the surname O'Fathagain, including Maelbrighde O'Fathagain, a 15th-century poet and scribe from County Westmeath.

Another early recorded instance of the Fagan surname is in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of official documents from the Tudor period in Ireland. These records mention individuals such as John Fagan, who was granted lands in County Kildare in the 16th century.

Over the centuries, the Fagan surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded was Patrick Fagan (1537-1618), an Irish Catholic priest and writer who served as the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent figure was Robert Fagan (1638-1704), an Irish lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer. He was known for his role in the Williamite War in Ireland and his support for the Protestant cause.

In the literary world, James Fagan (1824-1886) was a notable Irish-American poet and journalist who wrote for various publications in the United States and Canada. He is best known for his poem "The Irish Emigrant" and his works celebrating Irish culture and identity.

Philip Fagan (1857-1942) was an Irish-American architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City, including the Astor Trust Building and the New York Hippodrome Theater. He was a pioneer in the field of skyscraper construction and is considered one of the most influential architects of his time.

In more recent history, Terry Fagan (1938-2016) was an Irish actor and comedian who appeared in numerous films and television shows. He is best known for his roles in popular productions such as "Braveheart" and "Michael Collins", where he showcased his talent for portraying Irish characters with authenticity and humor.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fagan

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Fagan.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Fagan was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Fagan has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Fagan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Fagan, please contact us.

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