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

Fais, 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 Fais surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Fais in America

Fais is the 149328th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fais surname appeared 101 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Fais.

The history of the last name Fais

The surname Fais has its origins traced back to Italy, particularly in the regions of Sardinia and Naples, with early records rooted in the medieval period. The name is derived from ancient Italian words, as well as from Latin influence. The root of Fais appears to form from the Latin term "fagus," meaning "beech tree," which could indicate a geographical or topographical origin, where ancestors perhaps lived near or were notable for beech forests.

In historical records, Fais first surfaces in various medieval manuscripts and documents. For example, in a 12th-century record from Sardinia, a landownership document mentions a family bearing the surname Fais, indicating a settled and recognizable family presence in the region. The archiving of such names in land records was common in ensuring the transfer of estates and property, accentuating the significance of the name in regional history.

One famous individual from the medieval period is Guglielmo Fais, documented in the 13th century as an influential merchant in the Mediterranean trade networks. His establishment contributed extensively to the economic growth of Sardinian ports during the 1260s. Another prominent figure, Antonio Fais, emerged in historical literature as a known landowner and local council member in Naples around 1450. Records show his philanthropic efforts in urban development and support for local artisans.

In the Renaissance period, Leonardo Fais, born in 1482 and died in 1540, garnered acclaim as an architect and engineer in Florence. His works included several notable buildings and fortification designs, which spoke volumes of his contributions to urban planning and defense. Antonio Fais, a name recurring in different centuries, emerged again as noted in mid-1600s Venetian records, where he served as an admiral during the Cretan War, an indicator of the surname's continued prominence and involvement in significant historical events.

More recently, in the early 19th century, one illustrious individual stands out. Luigi Fais, born in 1798, was a celebrated artist known for his Baroque-inspired paintings, with some preserved in prestigious galleries across Italy. He remained active in the art community until his death in 1865, leaving a significant artistic legacy and a prominent surname in cultural history.

The surname Fais, through these various historical individuals and records, illustrates a lineage intertwined with notable contributions in commerce, architecture, military service, and the arts, reflecting its enduring presence and influence within Italian cultural and historical landscapes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fais

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Fais 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.

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

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

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