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

Fagen, 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 Fagen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fagen in America

Fagen is the 27514th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fagen surname appeared 876 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Fagen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fagen 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 Fagen

The surname Fagen is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "fag," which means "suitable" or "fit." It's possible that the name was originally an occupational surname given to someone who was deemed well-suited for a particular trade or profession.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fagen can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the Duchy of Saxony, which mentions a certain Hermannus Fagen in the year 1350. This suggests that the name was already in use in that region by the 14th century.

In the late 15th century, the Fagen surname appeared in the records of the town of Meiningen, in present-day Thuringia, Germany. The name was spelled as "Fagen" in these documents, indicating that the spelling had likely solidified by that time.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the Fagen surname. One of the earliest was Johannes Fagen, a German philosopher and theologian who lived in the late 16th century (c. 1550-1616). He was known for his writings on metaphysics and his contributions to the Protestant Reformation.

Another prominent figure was Johann Fagen, a German military officer who served in the Thirty Years' War during the 17th century (c. 1595-1659). He achieved the rank of Generalfeldmarschall and played a significant role in several major battles during the conflict.

In the 18th century, Johann Georg Fagen (1717-1801) was a renowned German architect who designed several notable buildings in the Baroque and Rococo styles, including the Schloss Augustusburg in Brühl, Germany.

Moving into the 19th century, Carl Fagen (1823-1887) was a German-American businessman and industrialist who founded the Fagen Iron Works in St. Louis, Missouri. His company played a crucial role in the region's industrial development during the latter half of the 19th century.

Finally, in the 20th century, Donald Fagen (born 1948) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter best known as the co-founder of the influential rock band Steely Dan. He has enjoyed a successful career spanning several decades and is widely regarded as one of the most talented and influential songwriters of his generation.

While the Fagen surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and other countries. However, its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when it likely emerged as an occupational surname in the German-speaking regions of central Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fagen

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

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 Fagen 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 Fagen 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 Fagen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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