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

Fernung, 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 Fernung surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fernung in America

Fernung is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fernung surname appeared 115 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 Fernung.

The history of the last name Fernung

The surname Fernung is believed to have originated in Germany, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the German word "fern," meaning "distant" or "far away," combined with the suffix "-ung," which denotes a location or place.

One of the earliest known references to the name Fernung can be found in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the town of Kirchheim unter Teck in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. In these records, dating back to the late 1500s, several individuals with the surname Fernung are mentioned as residents of the town.

The name Fernung may have been originally associated with individuals who lived in remote or distant areas, or those who had relocated from afar. It's also possible that the name was initially a descriptive one, referring to a person's appearance or demeanor.

In the 17th century, the name Fernung appears in various municipal records across southern Germany, particularly in the regions of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. One notable individual from this period was Hans Fernung (1621-1678), a farmer and landowner from the village of Unterlenningen in the Tübingen area.

As the centuries progressed, the Fernung name spread to other parts of Germany and neighboring regions. In the late 18th century, Johann Fernung (1753-1821) was a prominent merchant and trader based in the city of Frankfurt am Main.

Another significant figure with the surname Fernung was Ida Fernung (1845-1919), a renowned opera singer and performer from Berlin. She gained widespread acclaim for her performances in major opera houses across Europe during the late 19th century.

Other notable individuals with the surname Fernung include Wilhelm Fernung (1879-1955), a German engineer and inventor who held several patents for innovations in the field of industrial machinery, and Frieda Fernung (1902-1988), a celebrated artist and sculptor whose works were exhibited in galleries throughout Germany and Austria.

While the surname Fernung is most commonly associated with Germany, it has also been found in smaller numbers in neighboring countries like Switzerland, Austria, and parts of Eastern Europe, likely due to migration and intermarriage over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fernung

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

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 Fernung 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.

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

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

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