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

Fenix, 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 Fenix surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fenix in America

Fenix is the 118853rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fenix surname appeared 146 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 Fenix.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fenix 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 Fenix

The surname Fenix has its origins in Spain, where it first emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "phoenix," which was the name given to a mythical bird that cyclically regenerated or was reborn from its own ashes. The name likely originated as a nickname or descriptive term, possibly referring to someone who had overcome significant adversity or had risen from humble beginnings.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Fenix surname can be found in the Catalan region of Spain, where a nobleman named Ramón Fenix was mentioned in a medieval charter from the 12th century. This suggests that the name may have originated among the landed gentry or aristocratic classes in that region.

In the 15th century, a notable figure named Juan Fenix was a prominent poet and scholar in the court of King Juan II of Aragon. His works, which included poetry and treatises on various subjects, were widely circulated and helped to establish the Fenix name among the intellectual and literary circles of the time.

A famous bearer of the Fenix surname was Sebastián Fenix (1520-1598), a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied several expeditions to the Americas and the Pacific. He is credited with mapping and charting many previously uncharted islands and coastal regions in what is now known as the Caribbean and South America.

Another notable individual was María Fenix (1675-1744), a renowned Spanish painter who specialized in portraiture and religious works. Her paintings adorned many churches and private collections throughout Spain and are still celebrated for their technical virtuosity and emotional depth.

In the 19th century, Emilio Fenix (1822-1896) was a prominent Spanish politician and statesman who served as a member of the Spanish parliament and held several ministerial positions during his career. He was known for his advocacy of social reforms and his efforts to modernize Spain's institutions and infrastructure.

While the Fenix surname is most closely associated with Spain, it has also been found in other Spanish-speaking countries, likely due to migration and the spread of Spanish culture and influence. However, the name's origins can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula, where it emerged as a distinctive and historically significant surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fenix

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!