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

Fetz, 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 Fetz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fetz in America

Fetz is the 53419th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fetz surname appeared 387 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 Fetz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fetz 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 Fetz

The surname FETZ originates from Germany, specifically the southern regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. It is believed to have emerged during the late Middle Ages, around the 14th or 15th century.

One theory suggests that FETZ is derived from the Old High German word "fezzen," which means "to tear" or "to pluck." This could indicate that the name was initially an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked in a textile-related trade, such as a weaver or a cloth-maker.

Another possible origin of the name is from the Germanic personal name "Fatz" or "Fatzo," which was a diminutive form of names like "Bartholomew" or "Barthel." This could mean that FETZ was initially a patronymic surname, indicating the son or descendant of someone named Fatz or Fatzo.

The earliest known record of the FETZ surname dates back to 1437, when a certain Heinrich Fetz was mentioned in the town records of Augsburg, a historic city in Bavaria. Around the same time, there are mentions of the name in various other documents from the region, such as church registers and tax rolls.

One notable person with the FETZ surname was Johann Fetz (1526-1589), a German Lutheran theologian and reformer from Nuremberg. He played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation in the Holy Roman Empire.

Another historical figure was Peter Fetz (1664-1733), a Bavarian sculptor and woodcarver who was renowned for his intricate altarpieces and church decorations. His work can be found in several churches and monasteries across southern Germany.

In the 18th century, there was a Johann Michael Fetz (1718-1781), a German painter and engraver from Augsburg. He was known for his religious paintings and etchings, which were widely popular in his time.

Towards the end of the 19th century, a notable person with the FETZ surname was Max Fetz (1856-1922), a German entrepreneur and industrialist from Stuttgart. He founded a successful machinery manufacturing company that played a crucial role in the industrial development of the region.

The FETZ surname has also been associated with various place names in southern Germany, such as Fetzenhausen, a small village in Bavaria, and Fetzbach, a stream that flows through Baden-Württemberg. These place names may have influenced the evolution of the surname or vice versa.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fetz

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

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

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

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