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

Fetterman, 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 Fetterman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fetterman in America

Fetterman is the 11631st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fetterman surname appeared 2,695 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 Fetterman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fetterman 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 Fetterman

The surname Fetterman originates from Germany, with its earliest known roots dating back to the 16th century. The name is derived from the German word "Vettermann," which translates to "cousin" or "kinsman." It is believed that the name was initially used as a nickname or a descriptive term for someone who was closely related to a prominent family or clan.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Fetterman surname can be found in a 1568 document from the town of Worms, located in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany. This document mentions a certain Hans Fetterman, who was a merchant and landowner in the area.

The Fetterman name also appears in several historical records from the 17th and 18th centuries across various German states, including Bavaria, Saxony, and Prussia. During this period, the spelling of the name varied slightly, with variations such as Fettermann, Fettermahn, and Vettermann being documented.

A notable figure bearing the Fetterman surname was Johann Fetterman (1693-1772), a German theologian and philosopher who was born in Nuremberg. He studied at the University of Altdorf and later became a professor of theology and philosophy at the University of Giessen.

Another historical reference to the Fetterman name can be found in the Moravian Church records from the 18th century. Several Fetterman families were members of the Moravian Church, a Protestant denomination that originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe.

In the 19th century, the Fetterman surname began to spread beyond the borders of Germany as families emigrated to other parts of Europe and the Americas. One prominent individual was William John Fetterman (1833-1866), a Union Army officer and brevet lieutenant colonel who was killed in the Fetterman Fight, a violent skirmish between Native Americans and U.S. military forces in what is now Wyoming.

Another notable figure was Adam Fetterman (1824-1896), a German-American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Philadelphia from 1874 to 1876. He was also involved in the development of the city's transportation infrastructure, including the construction of several bridges and railroads.

A more recent historical figure was George Fetterman (1894-1970), an American football player and coach who played for the University of Pennsylvania and later coached at several universities, including Villanova and the U.S. Naval Academy.

Throughout history, the Fetterman surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, military personnel, politicians, and athletes, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who carry this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fetterman

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

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

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

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