2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fenik
Surname derived from a word for 'phoenix' or 'firebird' in various Slavic languages.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Fenik. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fenik surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Fenik in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fenik, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Black (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fenik
The surname FENIK is believed to have originated in the Czech Republic during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Slavic word "fenyk," which means "phoenix" or "firebird." This could indicate that the surname was initially given to someone who had a fiery or passionate personality or perhaps someone who worked with fire, such as a blacksmith or glassblower.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the FENIK surname can be found in a 14th-century manuscript from the city of Prague. This document mentions a certain Jakub FENIK, who was a merchant and landowner in the area. It is possible that this individual was among the first to bear the surname in its modern spelling.
In the 16th century, the FENIK name appears in several records from the town of Brno, which was then part of the Holy Roman Empire. These records include mentions of a family of tanners and leatherworkers who bore the FENIK surname. This suggests that the name may have been associated with certain trades or professions during this time period.
One notable bearer of the FENIK surname was Jan FENIK, a Czech composer and organist who lived from 1661 to 1730. He is known for his contributions to the baroque music tradition and his work in the churches of Prague and Olomouc.
In the 19th century, a Czech writer and journalist named Karel FENIK (1818-1891) gained recognition for his contributions to the national literary movement. He was a proponent of the Czech language and culture and helped to establish several influential publications.
Another individual of note was Antonín FENIK (1872-1945), a Czech architect who designed several notable buildings in Prague and other cities during the early 20th century. His work was characterized by a blend of neo-Renaissance and Art Nouveau styles.
While the FENIK surname has its roots in the Czech Republic, it has also spread to other parts of the world through immigration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical connections to the region remain an integral part of the name's heritage and significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fenik
Among Census respondents with the surname Fenik, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Black (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Fenik bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Fenik surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.2% · 100
- Black or African American2.9% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fenik
Fenik appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+5 bearers (+4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,487 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-5 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,594 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.8%) | Down 4,487 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 3,594 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Fenik surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #149,395 | #152,989 | -2.4% |
| Count | 110 | 105 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fenik bearers went from 110 to 105 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 3,594 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #152,989.
FAQ
Fenik surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fenik?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Fenik. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Fenik?
Fenik ranks #152,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 105 people with the surname Fenik. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Fenik.
Has Fenik become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fenik went from 110 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Fenik?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fenik, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Black (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Fenik in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.2% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fenik appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.2%), Black (2.9%), Hispanic (1.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Fenik (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Fenik mean?
Surname derived from a word for 'phoenix' or 'firebird' in various Slavic languages. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Fenik (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Fenik?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Fenik, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.