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

Fenster, 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 Fenster surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fenster in America

Fenster is the 18166th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fenster surname appeared 1,532 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Fenster.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fenster 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 Fenster

The surname Fenster is of German origin, deriving from the Middle High German word "venster," which means "window." This name likely originated as an occupational surname for someone who worked as a window maker or installer.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Fenster can be traced back to the 14th century in various regions of present-day Germany. In 1376, a record mentions a Johannes Fenster in the city of Nuremberg. Another early reference is found in the town of Erfurt, where a Hans Fenster is documented in 1412.

In the 15th century, the surname Fenster began to appear in other parts of Germany and neighboring countries. For example, a Claus Fenster was recorded in the town of Lübeck in 1422, while a Henricus Fenster was mentioned in records from Cologne in 1478.

One notable bearer of the Fenster surname was Johann Fenster, a German theologian and Protestant reformer who lived from 1497 to 1565. He played a significant role in the Reformation movement and was a close associate of Martin Luther.

Another historical figure with the Fenster name was Johann Georg Fenster, a German composer and organist who lived from 1628 to 1688. He is known for his contributions to the development of the chorale prelude, a musical form popular in the Baroque era.

In the 18th century, the surname Fenster can be found in various records from different regions of Germany. For instance, a Johann Michael Fenster was born in Saxony in 1708, while a Christoph Fenster was recorded in the town of Heidelberg in 1782.

During the 19th century, the Fenster surname spread beyond Germany, with some bearers immigrating to other parts of Europe and the Americas. One notable individual was Carl Fenster, a German-American businessman and politician who lived from 1832 to 1892. He served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives and was involved in the lumber industry.

Another significant figure was Wilhelm Fenster, a German-American architect who lived from 1868 to 1941. He designed numerous buildings in Chicago and other parts of the United States, contributing to the development of the Prairie School architectural style.

While the Fenster surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with bearers of the name making their mark in different fields and industries throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fenster

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

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

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

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