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

Fenández, 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 Fenández surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fenández in America

Fenández is the 158432nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fenández surname appeared 102 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 Fenández.

The history of the last name Fenández

The surname Fenandez is believed to have originated in Spain, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is a Spanish patronymic surname, derived from the personal name Fernando or Hernando, which itself is derived from the Germanic name Ferdinand or Ferdinand, meaning "brave traveler" or "daring journey."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Fenandez can be traced back to the 12th century, found in various Spanish historical records and documents. One notable early bearer of the name was Fernán González Fenandez, a Castilian nobleman and military leader who lived from around 910 to 970 CE. He played a pivotal role in the resistance against the Moorish rule in the region and is considered a national hero in Spain.

The surname Fenandez is also linked to several place names across Spain, such as Fernández de Rota, a municipality in the province of Cádiz, and Fernández Pelayo, a parish in the province of Asturias. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the Fenandez surname who settled or held land in those areas.

Throughout history, the Fenandez surname has been associated with several prominent individuals. One notable figure was Pedro Fenandez de Quiros, a Portuguese navigator and explorer who lived from 1565 to 1614. He is credited with being one of the first Europeans to explore the islands of Vanuatu in the South Pacific and is known for his search for the legendary "Terra Australis Incognita" (the unknown Southern land).

Another famous bearer of the Fenandez surname was Juan Fenandez, a Spanish navigator and explorer who lived from around 1536 to 1604. He is best known for discovering and being marooned on the Juan Fernández Islands, a small archipelago off the coast of Chile, which later served as the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's classic novel "Robinson Crusoe."

In the realm of art and literature, one notable figure with the Fenandez surname was José Fenandez Montesinos, a Spanish literary critic and scholar who lived from 1897 to 1972. He is renowned for his significant contributions to the study of Spanish Golden Age literature, particularly the works of Miguel de Cervantes.

Additionally, the Fenandez surname has been carried by several prominent athletes, including Juan Manuel Fenandez Ochoa, a Spanish former professional tennis player who was born in 1954 and achieved a career-high ranking of No. 9 in the world in 1973.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fenández

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

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 Fenández 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.

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

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

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