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

Fei, 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 Fei surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fei in America

Fei is the 27021st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fei surname appeared 897 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 Fei.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fei 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 Fei

The surname FEI originated in China, with roots dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is derived from the Chinese word 'fei', which means 'to fly' or 'to soar'. The name was likely given to individuals who excelled in archery or falconry, as these activities involved making objects soar through the air.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the FEI surname can be found in the "Xin Tang Shu" (New Book of Tang), a historical text compiled in the 11th century. This book lists several individuals with the FEI surname who held important positions in the Tang imperial court.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the FEI surname was particularly prevalent in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces of eastern China. Many prominent scholars and officials bore this name, including FEI Xingdao (1009-1076), a renowned calligrapher and poet.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the FEI surname gained further prominence with the rise of FEI Zhenxiao (1508-1570), a accomplished military strategist and general. He played a crucial role in suppressing several rebellions and securing the Ming Empire's borders.

Another notable figure from this period was FEI Zhengqing (1491-1554), a famous painter and art theorist who helped shape the artistic landscape of the Ming era.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the FEI surname continued to be associated with scholarly and artistic pursuits. FEI Dunshen (1801-1850) was a celebrated painter and calligrapher, while FEI Xiaotong (1910-2005) was a renowned sociologist and anthropologist who made significant contributions to the study of Chinese culture and society.

Throughout its long history, the FEI surname has been carried by numerous individuals who have left an indelible mark on various fields, from literature and art to military strategy and social sciences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fei

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

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

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

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