2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fahling
A surname originating in Germany that likely derived from the German word meaning "traveler".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Fahling. 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 Fahling 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 Fahling 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 Fahling, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.9%) and Hispanic (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fahling
The surname Fahling is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the 14th century in the central regions of Germany. The name is believed to have derived from the Old High German word "falu," meaning "fallow" or "pale," possibly referring to an individual's complexion or the color of their hair.
Fahling is a locational surname, indicating that the earliest bearers of this name hailed from a specific place or region. Records from the 15th century mention a village called Fahling, located in the present-day state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is likely that the surname originated from this village, with early settlers adopting the name as a means of identification.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Fahling surname can be found in the Heidelberg Manuscript, a collection of legal documents dating back to the late 15th century. In this manuscript, a certain Hans Fahling is mentioned as a witness in a land dispute, providing evidence of the name's existence during that period.
In the 16th century, the Fahling surname appeared in various historical records across Germany. Notable individuals bearing this name include Johann Fahling (1523-1587), a renowned Protestant theologian and reformer from Erfurt, and Katharina Fahling (1567-1632), a midwife and healer celebrated for her contributions to maternal healthcare in the city of Leipzig.
During the 17th century, the Fahling family spread across different regions of Germany, with some members venturing into other parts of Europe. One notable figure from this era was Peter Fahling (1644-1712), a merchant and philanthropist from Hamburg, who established a charitable foundation to support education and aid for the underprivileged.
In the 18th century, the Fahling surname gained prominence in the field of academia. Friedrich Fahling (1723-1798), a renowned scholar and linguist from Berlin, made significant contributions to the study of ancient languages and authored several influential works on grammar and etymology.
Another notable individual from this era was Maria Fahling (1756-1821), a celebrated artist and painter from Dresden, whose works were widely admired for their intricate details and vivid depictions of landscapes and portraits.
Throughout the 19th century, the Fahling surname continued to be associated with various professions and fields. Karl Fahling (1825-1892), a prominent politician from Saxony, served as a member of the German Reichstag and played a crucial role in shaping the country's legislative policies during his tenure.
As the centuries progressed, the Fahling surname gradually spread beyond the borders of Germany, with descendants settling in other parts of Europe and eventually migrating to various regions across the globe, carrying with them the rich heritage and history of their ancestral name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fahling
Among Census respondents with the surname Fahling, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.9%) and Hispanic (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Fahling 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 Fahling surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.7% · 96
- Two or more races8.9% · 10
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fahling
Fahling 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,291 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,734 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,291 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 2,734 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 Fahling 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 | #145,220 | #147,954 | -1.9% |
| Count | 114 | 112 | -1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fahling bearers went from 114 to 112 (-1.8% change). The surname moved down 2,734 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #147,954.
FAQ
Fahling surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fahling?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Fahling. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Fahling?
Fahling 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 Fahling. 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 Fahling.
Has Fahling become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fahling went from 114 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Fahling?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fahling, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.9%) and Hispanic (4.5%). 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 Fahling in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.7% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fahling appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.7%), Two or More Races (8.9%), Hispanic (4.5%). 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 Fahling (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 Fahling mean?
A surname originating in Germany that likely derived from the German word meaning "traveler". 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 Fahling (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 are called Fahling?
Find out how many people are called Fahling on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.