2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fitte
A surname possibly derived from a derogatory term or slang word.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Fitte. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fitte 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Fitte in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fitte, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.7%) and Black (12.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fitte
The surname Fitte has its origins rooted in the northern regions of Germany, specifically in the areas around modern-day Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony. It is believed to have emerged sometime during the late Middle Ages, possibly as early as the 12th or 13th century.
Linguists suggest that the name Fitte may be derived from the Old German word "fitt," which translates to "small field" or "plot of land." This connection implies that the surname was likely initially bestowed upon individuals who either resided on or owned a modest parcel of agricultural land.
In the annals of historical records, one of the earliest known mentions of the Fitte surname can be found in the Sachsenspiegel, a legal code compiled in the 13th century that served as a source of law for much of northern Germany. The document references a "Johannes Fitte" who was involved in a land dispute in the year 1278.
During the 14th century, the Fitte name appeared to have gained a modest foothold in the region, with scattered references to individuals bearing the surname appearing in various local records and documents. One notable example is the account of a merchant named Gottfried Fitte, who was active in the Hanseatic League trade routes during the latter half of the 1300s.
As time progressed, the Fitte surname began to spread beyond the confines of northern Germany. In the 16th century, a branch of the family is believed to have established itself in the Netherlands, with a Pieter Fitte being documented as a respected member of the Dutch Reformed Church in Amsterdam in 1567.
Among the notable individuals who have carried the Fitte surname throughout history, one can cite:
1. Heinrich Fitte (1640-1714), a German theologian and professor at the University of Rostock.
2. Johanna Fitte (1712-1789), a Dutch painter renowned for her still-life compositions.
3. Ernst Fitte (1801-1876), a Prussian military officer who served with distinction during the Napoleonic Wars.
4. Friedrich Fitte (1835-1910), a German architect and urban planner who played a significant role in the development of Berlin's cityscape in the late 19th century.
5. Karoline Fitte (1892-1968), an Austrian mathematician and one of the first women to receive a doctoral degree from the University of Vienna.
While the Fitte surname has experienced periods of both prominence and obscurity throughout its long history, it remains a testament to the rich tapestry of cultural and linguistic influences that have shaped the diverse regions of northern Europe over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fitte
Among Census respondents with the surname Fitte, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.7%) and Black (12.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Fitte 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 Fitte surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White68.6% · 70
- Hispanic or Latino13.7% · 14
- Black or African American12.7% · 13
- Two or more races2.9% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fitte
Fitte 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
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+4 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,579 places
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-3 bearers (-2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 152 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+4.0%) | Down 5,579 places |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.9%) | Up 152 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 Fitte 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 | #154,907 | #154,755 | 0.1% |
| Count | 105 | 102 | -2.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fitte bearers went from 105 to 102 (-2.9% change). The surname moved up 152 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #154,755.
FAQ
Fitte surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fitte?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Fitte. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Fitte?
Fitte ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 102 people with the surname Fitte. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Fitte.
Has Fitte become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fitte went from 105 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Fitte?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fitte, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (13.7%) and Black (12.7%). 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 Fitte in the 2020 Census, accounting for 68.6% (70 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fitte appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (68.6%), Hispanic (13.7%), Black (12.7%). 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 Fitte (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 Fitte mean?
A surname possibly derived from a derogatory term or slang word. 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 Fitte (0.03 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 people have the surname Fitte?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.