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

Felt, 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 Felt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Felt in America

Felt is the 8610th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Felt surname appeared 3,820 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 Felt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Felt 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 Felt

The surname FELT is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "felt," which referred to a coarse fabric made from matted fibers of wool or fur. The name likely originated as an occupational surname for someone who produced or worked with felt fabric.

The earliest known record of the surname FELT dates back to the late 12th century in the Lincolnshire area of England. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Robert le Felter, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1195.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings, including Felte, Felter, and Feltere, reflecting the phonetic variations common in that era. The Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273 mentions a certain William le Feltere, likely a feltmaker or feltworker by trade.

During the medieval period, the FELT surname was concentrated in the counties of Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire, and Huntingdonshire, where the feltmaking industry thrived. The name was also found in other parts of England, such as Yorkshire and Norfolk.

Notable individuals with the surname FELT include John Felt, a prominent English merchant and alderman in the city of Norwich in the 16th century. Another notable bearer was Sir Henry Felt, a member of the British Parliament and a Justice of the Peace in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the FELT surname gained prominence with the birth of John Felt (1721-1808), a notable American educator and clergyman who served as the second principal of the Ipswich Female Seminary in Massachusetts.

Another notable figure was Samuel Felt (1786-1868), an American inventor and entrepreneur who patented several improvements in the manufacturing of felt and woolen goods. His innovations helped establish the feltmaking industry in the United States.

In the 19th century, the FELT surname gained further recognition with the birth of George Franklin Felt (1839-1913), a prominent American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.

These examples highlight the rich history and diverse contributions of individuals bearing the surname FELT throughout the centuries, reflecting its origin as an occupational name associated with the feltmaking trade.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Felt

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

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

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

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