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

Feig, 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 Feig surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Feig in America

Feig is the 27974th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Feig surname appeared 857 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 Feig.

We can also compare 2010 data for Feig 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 Feig

The surname Feig originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, particularly in the areas now known as Germany and Switzerland. It is believed to have derived from the German word "feige," which means "cowardly" or "timid." The name may have initially been given as a nickname to someone who was perceived as having a meek or timid demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Feig can be found in the 14th century in the town of Ulm, located in what is now the German state of Baden-Württemberg. A document from 1372 mentions a person named Hainrich Feig, who was a member of the local guilds.

During the Middle Ages, surnames were often derived from personal characteristics, occupations, or locations. The surname Feig likely fell into the category of descriptive surnames, referring to an individual's perceived personality trait. As the use of hereditary surnames became more widespread, the name Feig was adopted by families and passed down through generations.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname Feig was Johann Feig, a German theologian and scholar who lived from 1508 to 1590. He was a Protestant reformer and a prominent figure in the Lutheran Church.

Another individual of historical significance was Johann Nikolaus Feig, a German astronomer and mathematician who lived from 1673 to 1739. He made contributions to the fields of astronomy and celestial mechanics and was a professor at the University of Wittenberg.

In the 18th century, a German composer and organist named Johann Jakob Feig (1737-1790) gained recognition for his musical works, including compositions for the organ and church music.

Moving into the 19th century, Karl Feig (1835-1890) was a German novelist and playwright who wrote several works that explored social issues and criticized the ruling class of his time.

More recently, Theodor Feig (1901-1987) was a German philosopher and educator who specialized in the study of phenomenology and existentialism. He taught at several universities in Germany and published numerous works on philosophical topics.

While the surname Feig has its roots in German-speaking regions, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and migration. The name has been found in various spellings, such as Feige, Feick, and Feick, reflecting regional variations and adaptations over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Feig

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

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

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

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