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

Fau, 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 Fau surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fau in America

Fau is the 100302nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fau surname appeared 180 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 Fau.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fau 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 Fau

The surname Fau is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the northern region of Normandy, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "fauvel," meaning "chestnut-colored" or "bay-colored," possibly referring to the color of someone's hair or complexion.

One of the earliest known references to the name Fau can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. In this document, the name appears as "Fauuel," suggesting its Norman roots.

In the 12th century, a nobleman named Raoul Fau was mentioned in the records of the Duchy of Normandy, indicating the presence of the surname in the region during that time. Another early record dates back to 1273, when a certain Guillemin Fau was listed as a resident of the village of Caudebec-lès-Elbeuf, near Rouen.

The name Fau has also been associated with various place names in France, such as the village of Fauville in the department of Manche, and the hamlet of Faugères in the Hérault region. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Fau was Pierre Fau, a merchant born in Rouen in 1564. Another notable figure was Jean-Baptiste Fau, a French playwright and dramatist born in Marseille in 1675, who wrote several comedies and tragedies that were performed in Paris.

In the 18th century, a French botanist named Étienne-Amable Fau, born in 1690, made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the Mediterranean region. He published several works on the flora of the Balearic Islands and the Pyrenees.

During the French Revolution, a lawyer named Pierre-Joseph Fau, born in Avignon in 1760, played a prominent role in the establishment of the revolutionary government in his city. He later served as a deputy in the National Convention.

Another individual of note was Léon Fau, a French artist and illustrator born in Paris in 1857, who was known for his intricate etchings and engravings depicting scenes from French history and literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fau

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

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

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

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