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

Fenner, 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 Fenner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fenner in America

Fenner is the 4619th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fenner surname appeared 7,678 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Fenner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fenner 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 Fenner

The surname Fenner has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have been derived from the Old English word "fenn," meaning a marsh or fen. This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived near a marshy area or worked in such an environment.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273 and the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. These records mention individuals like Robert le Fenner and William Fenner, indicating the presence of the name in different parts of England during that time.

One notable example of the Fenner name's historical significance is its inclusion in the renowned Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of lands and landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book lists a Fenner family residing in Oxfordshire, providing evidence of the name's longevity in the region.

Over the centuries, the Fenner surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Vennor, Vener, and Vennour. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping practices during earlier times.

Several notable individuals have borne the Fenner surname throughout history. One prominent figure was Sir Edward Fenner (1584-1657), an English lawyer and judge who served as a Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King Charles I. Another was Thomas Fenner (1600-1676), a colonial American who served as the Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

Other influential individuals with the Fenner surname include William Fenner (1600-1640), an English Puritan minister and author, and Arthur Fenner (1745-1805), an American politician and lawyer who served as the seventh Governor of Rhode Island. Additionally, Edward Fenner (1782-1853) was a prominent English naturalist and physician who made significant contributions to the field of natural history.

The Fenner surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Fenner's Chase in Buckinghamshire and Fenner's Green in Hampshire. These place names likely originated from individuals with the Fenner surname who held land or resided in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fenner

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

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

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

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