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

Faniel, 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 Faniel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Faniel in America

Faniel is the 33121st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Faniel surname appeared 691 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 Faniel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Faniel 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 Faniel

The surname Faniel is believed to have originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old French words "faine" and "aiel," which together mean "grandfather of the beech tree." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near or had a connection to a significant beech tree.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Faniel surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This entry suggests that the name had already made its way to England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, a man named Pierre Faniel was recorded as a merchant in the city of Bordeaux, France. This indicates that the name had become established in France by that time.

During the 15th century, a notable figure named Jean Faniel served as a advisor to the Duke of Burgundy. His role in the court suggests that the Faniel family had achieved a certain level of prominence and respect by that point.

In the 16th century, a wealthy landowner named Jacques Faniel was documented in the records of the town of Dijon, France. This provides evidence of the family's continued prosperity and influence in the region.

Another significant individual bearing the Faniel surname was Michel Faniel, a French philosopher and writer who lived from 1628 to 1694. His works focused on metaphysics and the nature of reality, contributing to the intellectual discourse of his time.

Throughout history, the Faniel surname has also been associated with various locations, including the village of Faniel-sur-Ource in the Côte-d'Or department of France, as well as the town of Faniel in Belgium.

Other notable individuals with the Faniel surname include:

1. Étienne Faniel (1722-1795), a French mathematician and astronomer.
2. Marie-Louise Faniel (1789-1858), a French painter known for her portraits and still-life works.
3. Charles Faniel (1825-1901), a Belgian industrialist and philanthropist.
4. Émile Faniel (1870-1945), a French architect and urban planner.
5. Henri Faniel (1912-1998), a French composer and music theorist.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Faniel

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

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

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

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