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

Felts, 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 Felts surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Felts in America

Felts is the 5267th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Felts surname appeared 6,621 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Felts.

We can also compare 2010 data for Felts 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 Felts

The surname Felts is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the counties of Somerset and Dorset, during the medieval period. It derives from the Old English word "felþ," which means a "field" or "pasture." This suggests that the name was likely associated with those who lived near or worked in such areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Felts can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and their estates commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Rodbert de Felta, whose name is thought to be an early variation of the modern surname Felts.

In the 13th century, records show a family named Feltes residing in the village of Feltwell, which is located in Norfolk, England. The place name itself is derived from the Old English words "feld" and "well," meaning "field by a stream." This further reinforces the connection between the surname and its agricultural origins.

One notable individual bearing the surname Felts was Sir John Felts, a prominent English politician who lived during the 16th century (circa 1520-1590). He served as a Member of Parliament for the Borough of Arundel during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another historically significant figure was William Felts (1568-1637), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Norwich from 1619 until his death. He played an active role in the religious and political affairs of his time.

In the 17th century, a notable individual named Thomas Felts (1629-1698) was a successful merchant and landowner in the town of Shepton Mallet, Somerset. His legacy includes the construction of a grand manor house, which still stands today.

Moving forward to the 18th century, we find John Felts (1721-1799), an English author and philosopher who wrote extensively on topics such as ethics and metaphysics. His works were widely read and discussed during the Age of Enlightenment.

Finally, in the 19th century, there was a prominent figure named Samuel Felts (1815-1892), who was a renowned architect and civil engineer. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings and infrastructure projects across England during the Victorian era.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Felts

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

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

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

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