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

Faye, 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 Faye surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Faye in America

Faye is the 16748th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Faye surname appeared 1,707 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Faye.

We can also compare 2010 data for Faye 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 Faye

The surname Faye originated in France and has its roots in the Old French word "faie", which means a fairy or fay. This word derives from the Latin "fata", meaning a supernatural being or fate. The name is thought to have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone who was considered whimsical, mischievous, or fey.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Faye can be found in the records of the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris, dating back to the 12th century. The name appears in various spellings, such as Faye, Fay, and Fée, reflecting the evolution of the French language over time.

During the Middle Ages, the Faye family was prominent in the region of Poitou, located in western France. Some historical records mention members of the Faye family holding positions of importance, such as Jean de Faye, who served as the Bishop of Luçon in the 15th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Faye gained recognition through the French explorer and navigator Samuel de Champlain, who was born in Brouage, Saintonge, France, in 1567. He is renowned for his explorations in North America and his role in establishing the colony of New France (now part of Canada).

Another notable figure with the surname Faye was the French astronomer Hervé Faye, born in 1814 in Saint-Benoît-du-Sault, Indre, France. He made significant contributions to the study of comets and planetary motions and served as the president of the French Académie des Sciences.

In the 19th century, the French writer and novelist Joseph Faye, born in 1775 in Marseille, gained recognition for his literary works, including the novel "Les Derniers Temps de l'Empire". His writings provided insights into the social and political climate of his time.

The surname Faye has also been present in other parts of Europe, with variations in spelling and pronunciation. For example, the Italian spelling "Faia" and the Spanish "Faya" are believed to have derived from the same root as the French "Faye".

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Faye

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

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

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

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