2000
#15,117
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,790
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.66
Rare Last name
Fetty
Derived from the Old English word "fætt," meaning a large cask or barrel, likely referring to a cooper or barrel maker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,129 Americans carry the last name Fetty. That puts it at #15,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 160,993 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fetty 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 160,993
Census rank
#15,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,857 bearers of the surname Fetty in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fetty, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fetty
The surname Fetty is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period, specifically the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "fett," which means "fat" or "plump." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a nickname for a person of larger stature or build.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Fetty can be found in various historical documents and records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One such reference appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, dated 1327, where a person named John Fetty is mentioned. Another early record is found in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire from 1344, which lists a William Fetty.
During the medieval period, the name Fetty was primarily concentrated in the counties of Worcestershire, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire in the West Midlands region of England. However, it is important to note that due to the widespread migration of people during that time, the name could also be found in other parts of the country.
One notable figure with the surname Fetty was Sir Thomas Fetty, a prominent landowner and member of the gentry class who lived in the 16th century. He was born in Warwickshire in 1520 and was known for his involvement in local politics and his service as a Justice of the Peace.
Another individual of historical significance was Robert Fetty, a scholar and clergyman born in Worcestershire in 1586. He attended Oxford University and later became a rector in the Church of England, serving in various parishes throughout his career.
In the 17th century, a man named John Fetty gained recognition as a skilled carpenter and woodworker. He was born in Staffordshire in 1622 and is credited with contributing to the construction of several notable buildings in the region, including churches and manor houses.
Moving forward to the 18th century, there was a wealthy merchant named William Fetty who was born in Worcestershire in 1715. He made his fortune through international trade and was known for his philanthropic efforts, establishing several charitable foundations in his hometown.
Lastly, in the 19th century, a notable figure with the surname Fetty was Elizabeth Fetty, born in Warwickshire in 1825. She was a pioneering educator who founded one of the first schools for girls in her local area, providing educational opportunities for young women at a time when it was relatively uncommon.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fetty
Among Census respondents with the surname Fetty, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Fetty 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 Fetty surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.2% · 1,713
- Two or more races3.6% · 67
- Hispanic or Latino2.1% · 39
- Black or African American1.3% · 24
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fetty
Fetty 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
#14,612
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,037
+247 bearers (+13.8%)
Per 100,000 0.69
Rank movement Up 505 places
2020
#15,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,857
-180 bearers (-8.8%)
Per 100,000 0.62
Rank movement Down 609 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,117 | 1,790 | 0.66 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,612 | 2,037 | 0.69 | +247 bearers (+13.8%) | Up 505 places |
| 2020 | #15,221 | 1,857 | 0.62 | -180 bearers (-8.8%) | Down 609 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 Fetty 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 | #14,612 | #15,221 | -4.2% |
| Count | 2,037 | 1,857 | -8.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.69 | 0.62 | -10.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fetty bearers went from 2,037 to 1,857 (-8.8% change). The surname moved down 609 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,612 to #15,221.
FAQ
Fetty surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fetty?
Name Census estimates that about 2,129 living Americans carry the surname Fetty. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 160,993 residents.
How common is Fetty?
Fetty ranks #15,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.62 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 1,857 people with the surname Fetty. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,129), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.62 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 Fetty.
Has Fetty become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fetty went from 2,037 recorded bearers to 1,857. That is a decrease of 180 (-8.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,612 to #15,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Fetty?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fetty, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.6%) and Hispanic (2.1%). 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 Fetty in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (1,713 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fetty appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.2%), Two or More Races (3.6%), Hispanic (2.1%). 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 Fetty (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 Fetty mean?
Derived from the Old English word "fætt," meaning a large cask or barrel, likely referring to a cooper or barrel maker. 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 Fetty (0.62 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 Americans have the surname Fetty?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.