2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fishbaugher
Fish seller; referring to one who caught and sold fish.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Fishbaugher. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fishbaugher 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Fishbaugher in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fishbaugher, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Black (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fishbaugher
The surname Fishbaugher is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is likely derived from the German words "Fisch," meaning fish, and "Bauer," meaning farmer or peasant, suggesting a connection to individuals involved in fishing or farming activities.
One of the earliest documented references to the name Fishbaugher can be found in the baptismal records of a small village near Nuremberg, where a child named Hans Fishbaugher was baptized in 1572. This early record provides valuable insight into the evolution and regional distribution of the surname.
In the late 17th century, a notable figure bearing the name Fishbaugher emerged in the form of Johann Fishbaugher (1648-1712), a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Aschaffenburg. His success and influence contributed to the recognition of the Fishbaugher name within the local community.
As the Fishbaugher family spread across different regions of Germany, variations in spelling and pronunciation arose. Some notable variations include Fischbauer, Fischbacher, and Fischbaugher, reflecting the diverse linguistic influences within the German-speaking territories.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Fishbaugher surname outside of Germany can be found in the historical records of the Pennsylvania Dutch community in the United States. In 1732, a family by the name of Fishbaugher settled in the area now known as Berks County, Pennsylvania, having emigrated from the Palatinate region of Germany.
Notably, the Fishbaugher name has been associated with several prominent individuals throughout history. One such figure was Friedrich Fishbaugher (1790-1862), a renowned German mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.
Another notable bearer of the Fishbaugher name was Anna Fishbaugher (1825-1901), a prominent advocate for women's rights and education in the United States. Her efforts to establish schools and promote educational opportunities for women left a lasting impact on the communities she served.
In the realm of literature, the name Fishbaugher is also noteworthy. Johann Gottfried Fishbaugher (1735-1811), a German poet and playwright, gained recognition for his satirical works and plays that explored societal issues of his time.
While the surname Fishbaugher may have originated from humble beginnings, its rich history and diverse representations across various fields and regions have contributed to its enduring legacy and cultural significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fishbaugher
Among Census respondents with the surname Fishbaugher, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Black (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Fishbaugher 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 Fishbaugher surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.3% · 102
- Black or African American2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fishbaugher
Fishbaugher appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 989 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 989 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 Fishbaugher 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 | #152,628 | #151,639 | 0.6% |
| Count | 107 | 107 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fishbaugher bearers went from 107 to 107 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 989 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #151,639.
FAQ
Fishbaugher surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fishbaugher?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Fishbaugher. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Fishbaugher?
Fishbaugher ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Fishbaugher. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Fishbaugher.
Has Fishbaugher become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fishbaugher went from 107 recorded bearers to 107. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Fishbaugher?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fishbaugher, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Black (2.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Fishbaugher in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.3% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fishbaugher appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.3%), Black (2.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Fishbaugher (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 Fishbaugher mean?
Fish seller; referring to one who caught and sold fish. 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 Fishbaugher (0.04 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 Fishbaugher?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.