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

Feder, 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 Feder surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Feder in America

Feder is the 11026th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Feder surname appeared 2,884 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 Feder.

We can also compare 2010 data for Feder 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 Feder

The surname Feder originated in Germany, with its earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word "veder," which means "feather" or "plume." This word has its roots in the Old High German "fadara" and the Proto-Germanic "feþrō."

One of the earliest known references to the name Feder can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Saxony. In this collection, a certain "Henricus Feder" is mentioned in a document dated 1285.

The name Feder was particularly prevalent in the regions of Saxony, Thuringia, and Bavaria. It is believed that the name may have originally been an occupational surname, referring to individuals who worked with feathers, such as quill makers or fletchers (arrow makers).

In the 14th century, the name Feder appeared in various forms, including "Federer" and "Feddern." These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Feder throughout history include Johann Georg Feder (1740-1821), a German philosopher and professor of philosophy at the University of Göttingen. Another notable figure was Johann Michael Feder (1753-1824), a German painter and engraver known for his landscapes and portraits.

In the 16th century, a renowned figure named Hans Feder (1490-1542) was a prominent Lutheran theologian and reformer. He played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation and was a close associate of Martin Luther.

Moving forward to the 19th century, Carl Feder (1811-1888) was a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Frankfurt Parliament during the revolutions of 1848-1849.

Another notable individual was Ernst Feder (1881-1964), an Austrian architect and urban planner who made significant contributions to the development of modern architecture in Vienna in the early 20th century.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Feder throughout history, reflecting its roots and prevalence in German-speaking regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Feder

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

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

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

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