2000
#14,168
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,945
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.72
Rare Last name
Fernald
An English surname derived from a place name meaning "fern valley".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,054 Americans carry the last name Fernald. That puts it at #15,699 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.60 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 166,872 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fernald 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
2.1K
1 in 166,872
Census rank
#15,699
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,791 bearers of the surname Fernald in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.60 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15699th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fernald, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fernald
The surname Fernald has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have been derived from the Old English words "fearn" meaning fern and "halh" meaning a nook or remote valley, thus suggesting a connection to a fern-covered valley or secluded location.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a census-like record from 1273, where it appears as "Farnhall." This spelling variation highlights the evolving nature of surnames during that era, with regional dialects and spelling inconsistencies contributing to the name's transformations.
In the 14th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as "Fernhale" and "Fernehalgh," further reflecting the influences of local pronunciations and scribal interpretations. These variations persisted until the 16th century when the modern spelling of "Fernald" became more standardized.
The surname Fernald has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John Fernald, born in 1584 in Devonshire, England. He later emigrated to the American colonies and settled in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, becoming one of the earliest settlers in that region.
Another prominent figure was William Fernald, born in 1619 in London. He was a successful merchant and landowner, owning properties in both England and the American colonies. His descendants played significant roles in the development of New England during the 17th and 18th centuries.
In the literary realm, Mary Fernald, born in 1844 in Maine, was a renowned poet and author, known for her works celebrating the beauty of nature and rural life in New England. Her poetry collections, such as "Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow," earned her critical acclaim during her lifetime.
The name has also been associated with scientific and academic pursuits. Walter Fernald, born in 1859 in Maine, was a prominent psychologist and educator. He served as the superintendent of the Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded (later renamed the Walter E. Fernald State School) and made significant contributions to the field of special education and the care of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Lastly, Merritt Fernald, born in 1838 in Maine, was a respected botanist and educator. He served as the president of the Maine State College (now the University of Maine) and authored several influential works on plant taxonomy and the flora of New England.
While the surname Fernald has evolved over centuries, its roots can be traced back to England's rural landscapes, where it likely originated as a descriptive name for individuals residing in fern-covered valleys or nooks. Despite its humble beginnings, the name has been borne by notable individuals across various fields, leaving an indelible mark on history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fernald
Among Census respondents with the surname Fernald, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Fernald 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 Fernald surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 1,638
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 68
- Two or more races2.7% · 49
- Black or African American0.9% · 16
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fernald
Fernald 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
#15,289
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,920
-25 bearers (-1.3%)
Per 100,000 0.65
Rank movement Down 1,121 places
2020
#15,699
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,791
-129 bearers (-6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.60
Rank movement Down 410 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,168 | 1,945 | 0.72 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,289 | 1,920 | 0.65 | -25 bearers (-1.3%) | Down 1,121 places |
| 2020 | #15,699 | 1,791 | 0.60 | -129 bearers (-6.7%) | Down 410 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 Fernald 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 | #15,289 | #15,699 | -2.7% |
| Count | 1,920 | 1,791 | -6.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.65 | 0.60 | -7.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fernald bearers went from 1,920 to 1,791 (-6.7% change). The surname moved down 410 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,289 to #15,699.
FAQ
Fernald surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fernald?
Name Census estimates that about 2,054 living Americans carry the surname Fernald. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 166,872 residents.
How common is Fernald?
Fernald ranks #15,699 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.60 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 1,791 people with the surname Fernald. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,054), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.6 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.60 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 Fernald.
Has Fernald become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fernald went from 1,920 recorded bearers to 1,791. That is a decrease of 129 (-6.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #15,289 to #15,699.
What does the Census say about the background of Fernald?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fernald, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Fernald in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (1,638 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fernald appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Hispanic (3.8%), Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Fernald (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 Fernald mean?
An English surname derived from a place name meaning "fern valley". 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 Fernald (0.60 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 share the surname Fernald?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.