2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fahrig
A German surname derived from the Middle High German word "varen," meaning to travel or wander.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Fahrig. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fahrig 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Fahrig in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fahrig, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fahrig
The surname FAHRIG has its origins in Germany, emerging in the late medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old High German word "farahan," meaning "to travel" or "to journey." This suggests that the name may have been initially assigned as an occupational surname for those who were travelers, merchants, or wanderers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the FAHRIG name can be found in the Bürgeraufnahmen (Citizen Enrollment Records) of the city of Frankfurt in 1387, where a certain Henne Fahrig was listed as a resident. This provides evidence of the name's existence in the German-speaking regions during that time.
In the 15th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as "Fahriges," "Fahrigk," and "Fahrich," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and orthography. These variations can be traced back to various German dialects and local customs.
The FAHRIG name has been linked to several notable historical figures throughout the centuries. One such figure was Johann Christoph Fahrig (1668-1742), a German theologian and author who served as a pastor in Saxony. His works, including theological treatises and sermons, were widely circulated during his lifetime.
Another prominent individual bearing the FAHRIG name was Friedrich Wilhelm Fahrig (1809-1883), a German painter and lithographer known for his landscapes and architectural renderings. His works can be found in several museums and private collections across Germany.
In the 19th century, the FAHRIG name gained further recognition with the birth of Wilhelm Fahrig (1835-1907), a German businessman and philanthropist. He made significant contributions to charitable organizations and educational institutions in his hometown of Berlin.
The name FAHRIG has also been associated with various place names throughout Germany. For instance, the village of Fahrig in the state of Saxony-Anhalt is believed to have derived its name from the surname, suggesting a connection between the name and a specific geographic location.
While the FAHRIG surname may have originated as an occupational name, it has since become a well-established family name, with bearers scattered across various regions of Germany and beyond. Its enduring presence in historical records and its association with notable individuals highlights the rich cultural heritage embedded within this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fahrig
Among Census respondents with the surname Fahrig, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Fahrig 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 Fahrig surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.0% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- Two or more races2.6% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fahrig
Fahrig 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,776 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+7 bearers (+6.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,775 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,776 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.5%) | Up 5,775 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 Fahrig 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 | #151,532 | #145,757 | 3.8% |
| Count | 108 | 115 | 6.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fahrig bearers went from 108 to 115 (+6.5% change). The surname moved up 5,775 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #145,757.
FAQ
Fahrig surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fahrig?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Fahrig. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Fahrig?
Fahrig ranks #145,757 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 115 people with the surname Fahrig. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), 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 Fahrig.
Has Fahrig become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fahrig went from 108 recorded bearers to 115. That is an increase of 7 (+6.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Fahrig?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fahrig, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Fahrig in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.0% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fahrig appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.0%), Hispanic (2.6%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Fahrig (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 Fahrig mean?
A German surname derived from the Middle High German word "varen," meaning to travel or wander. 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 Fahrig (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 common is the surname Fahrig?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Fahrig on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.