Fellowes
An English surname originally designating a member of a fraternity or guild.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 171 Americans carry the last name Fellowes. That puts it at #123,064 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,004,411 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fellowes surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
171
1 in 2,004,411
Census rank
#123,064
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
140
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 140 bearers of the surname Fellowes in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 123064th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fellowes, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Black (4.3%) and Hispanic (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fellowes
The surname FELLOWES is of English origin and derives from the medieval English word "felaw", meaning a partner, mate or companion. It was originally an occupational name for a member of a fraternity or religious order.
In the Middle Ages, surnames often emerged from nicknames referring to a person's occupation, status, appearance or location. FELLOWES likely referred to a person who belonged to a fellowship or fraternal organization.
The earliest known record of the FELLOWES surname dates back to the late 12th century in Norfolk, England. A Robert leFelauwe is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of that county in 1195.
By the 13th century, variations like Felawe and Felaws appeared in tax rolls and parish records across southern and eastern England. The spelling eventually standardized to FELLOWES by the 15th century.
Notable early bearers of this surname include Thomas Felows, a landholder in Middlesex mentioned in the Feet of Fines for 1485. John Felows served as Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset in 1540.
Edward Fellowes (c.1570-1637) was an English translator and author who published works on theology and history. Born in Wiltshire, he studied at Oxford and later served as a minister.
William Fellowes (1769-1837) was a British naval officer and explorer who surveyed regions of Australia and New Zealand in the early 1800s. Several coastal features were named after him.
Newton Fellowes (1835-1897) was an English businessman and Liberal politician who served as Mayor of Norwich from 1885 to 1886.
The surname FELLOWES maintains connections to various locations in southern England like Norfolk, Essex and Dorset where early bearers resided. Several villages like Fellowes Manor in Norfolk incorporated the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fellowes
Among Census respondents with the surname Fellowes, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Black (4.3%) and Hispanic (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Fellowes bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Fellowes surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.9%
- Black or African American4.3%
- Hispanic or Latino4.3%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Fellowes surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #123,064 | #123,064 | 0.0% |
| Count | 140 | 140 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Fellowes bearers went from 140 to 140 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #123,064 to #123,064.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Fellowes
FAQ
Fellowes surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Fellowes?
The surname Fellowes holds position #123,064 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 171 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Fellowes surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fellowes, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Black (4.3%) and Hispanic (4.3%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.