2000
#13,407
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,083
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.77
Rare Last name
Fenstermaker
An occupational surname of German origin referring to a window maker or glazier.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,307 Americans carry the last name Fenstermaker. That puts it at #14,307 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.67 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 148,571 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fenstermaker 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
2.3K
1 in 148,571
Census rank
#14,307
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,012 bearers of the surname Fenstermaker in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.67 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14307th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fenstermaker, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fenstermaker
The surname FENSTERMAKER is of German origin, originating in the regions of what is now modern-day Germany and Switzerland during the medieval period. The name is derived from the German words "fenster" meaning window, and "macher" meaning maker or builder, literally translating to "window maker" or "window builder."
Records show that the name first appeared in the late 13th century, with variations such as Fenstermecher, Fenstermecher, and Fenstermacher. These early spellings reflect the regional dialects and variations in the language at the time. The name likely referred to an occupation or trade, as it was common for surnames to originate from professions or crafts during this era.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name is Hans Fenstermecher, a glazier recorded in the city of Nuremberg in 1384. Another notable early record is Johannes Fenstermacher, a glassmaker mentioned in the archives of the city of Basel, Switzerland, in 1427.
As the name spread throughout the German-speaking regions, it took on various spellings and forms, including Fenstermaker, Fenstermecher, Fenstermacher, and Fenstermacher. These variations reflect the local dialects and spelling conventions of different areas.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, as Germans began to migrate and settle in other parts of Europe and later in North America, the name traveled with them. One of the earliest known bearers of the name in North America was Johann Georg Fenstermaker, who arrived in Pennsylvania from Germany in 1738.
Other notable individuals with the surname FENSTERMAKER throughout history include:
1. Wilhelm Fenstermaker (1677-1745), a German glassmaker and artisan known for his intricate stained glass windows in churches across Bavaria.
2. Anna Maria Fenstermaker (1756-1832), a pioneer and early settler in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, known for her involvement in the American Revolutionary War efforts.
3. Johann Fenstermaker (1802-1879), a German immigrant to the United States who became a prominent farmer and landowner in Pennsylvania.
4. Friedrich Fenstermaker (1822-1891), a German-American architect and builder who designed several notable buildings in Philadelphia, including the former Philadelphia County Courthouse.
5. Ella Fenstermaker (1867-1946), an American educator and women's rights advocate who worked to promote equal educational opportunities for women in the early 20th century.
The surname FENSTERMAKER has a rich history rooted in the craftsmanship and trade of window making in the German-speaking regions of Europe. As it spread across the continent and eventually to other parts of the world, the name has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who carried it forward.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fenstermaker
Among Census respondents with the surname Fenstermaker, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Fenstermaker 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 Fenstermaker surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.6% · 1,883
- Two or more races2.6% · 53
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 50
- Black or African American0.8% · 16
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fenstermaker
Fenstermaker 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
#14,443
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,069
-14 bearers (-0.7%)
Per 100,000 0.70
Rank movement Down 1,036 places
2020
#14,307
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,012
-57 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.67
Rank movement Up 136 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,407 | 2,083 | 0.77 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,443 | 2,069 | 0.70 | -14 bearers (-0.7%) | Down 1,036 places |
| 2020 | #14,307 | 2,012 | 0.67 | -57 bearers (-2.8%) | Up 136 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 Fenstermaker 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 | #14,443 | #14,307 | 0.9% |
| Count | 2,069 | 2,012 | -2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.70 | 0.67 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fenstermaker bearers went from 2,069 to 2,012 (-2.8% change). The surname moved up 136 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,443 to #14,307.
FAQ
Fenstermaker surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fenstermaker?
Name Census estimates that about 2,307 living Americans carry the surname Fenstermaker. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 148,571 residents.
How common is Fenstermaker?
Fenstermaker ranks #14,307 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.67 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,012 people with the surname Fenstermaker. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,307), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.67 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.67 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Fenstermaker.
Has Fenstermaker become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fenstermaker went from 2,069 recorded bearers to 2,012. That is a decrease of 57 (-2.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #14,443 to #14,307.
What does the Census say about the background of Fenstermaker?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fenstermaker, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Fenstermaker in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.6% (1,883 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fenstermaker appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.6%), Two or More Races (2.6%), Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Fenstermaker (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 Fenstermaker mean?
An occupational surname of German origin referring to a window maker or glazier. 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 Fenstermaker (0.67 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 many people are called Fenstermaker?
You can see how many people are called Fenstermaker on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.