2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fantry
A variant spelling of the English surname Fantry, potentially derived from the Old French "enfanterie" meaning infantry or foot soldiers.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Fantry. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fantry 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Fantry in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fantry, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fantry
The surname FANTRY is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "fant," which means a small stream or spring, and the word "ry," referring to a tract of land adjacent to a stream or watercourse.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FANTRY can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Fantrie" in the county of Wiltshire. This suggests that the name may have originated in this region, potentially referring to a piece of land near a small stream or spring.
During the 13th century, the name FANTRY appeared in various historical records, often spelled differently, such as "Fauntry," "Fauntrie," or "Fauntree." These variations highlight the evolving nature of surnames during that time period.
In the 14th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir John Fantry (c. 1310-1378), a knight who served under Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. He was known for his bravery in the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and was rewarded with lands in Somerset.
Another prominent individual with the surname FANTRY was William Fantry (c. 1450-1520), a wealthy merchant from London who became an influential figure in the city's guilds and trade organizations.
During the 16th century, the name FANTRY was associated with the village of Fantry in Gloucestershire, which may have been named after an early bearer of the surname or derived from the same Old English roots.
In the 17th century, a notable bearer of the name was Thomas Fantry (1620-1685), a prominent Puritan clergyman who served as a chaplain during the English Civil War and later became a leading figure in the Presbyterian movement.
Another significant figure was Elizabeth Fantry (1670-1745), a renowned writer and poet who published several collections of poetry and was praised for her eloquent and insightful works.
Throughout the centuries, the FANTRY surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, merchants, soldiers, and writers, further solidifying its place in English history and heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fantry
Among Census respondents with the surname Fantry, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Fantry 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 Fantry surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.1% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino11.0% · 13
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fantry
Fantry 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+7 bearers (+6.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,393 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+2 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 362 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 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.4%) | Down 2,393 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 362 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 Fantry 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 | #143,149 | #143,511 | -0.3% |
| Count | 116 | 118 | 1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fantry bearers went from 116 to 118 (+1.7% change). The surname moved down 362 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #143,511.
FAQ
Fantry surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fantry?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Fantry. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Fantry?
Fantry ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Fantry. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Fantry.
Has Fantry become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fantry went from 116 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 2 (+1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Fantry?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fantry, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Fantry in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fantry appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.1%), Hispanic (11.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Fantry (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 Fantry mean?
A variant spelling of the English surname Fantry, potentially derived from the Old French "enfanterie" meaning infantry or foot soldiers. 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 Fantry (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 have the surname Fantry?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.