2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fittje
A German surname derived from an offensive vulgar term.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Fittje. 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 Fittje 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 Fittje 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 Fittje, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fittje
The surname FITTJE is of German origin, originating in the northern regions of Germany during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Low German word "fitje," which referred to a small bundle or package, often used in reference to a small child or infant. This connection suggests that the name may have been initially used as a nickname or descriptive term for someone associated with children or infants.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FITTJE can be found in the Hanseatic League records from the city of Lübeck, dating back to the 14th century. A merchant named Hans FITTJE is mentioned in a trade document from 1361, indicating the presence of the name in the mercantile circles of northern Germany during that time.
In the 16th century, the FITTJE name appeared in the records of the Duchy of Pomerania, where a farmer named Claus FITTJE is noted in a land registry from 1527. This suggests that the name had spread beyond its initial origins and was being adopted by families in other parts of northern Germany.
During the 17th century, the name FITTJE gained recognition in the academic and literary circles of Germany. Johann FITTJE (1619-1687), a renowned scholar and philosopher from Hamburg, authored several influential works on logic and metaphysics. His contributions to the intellectual discourse of the time solidified the name's presence in the annals of German academia.
In the 18th century, the FITTJE name found its way into the military ranks of Prussia. Friedrich FITTJE (1738-1814), a Prussian officer, distinguished himself in the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the prestigious Pour le Mérite order for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
As the 19th century dawned, the FITTJE name gained prominence in the arts and cultural spheres. Karl FITTJE (1806-1872), a celebrated painter from Hanover, was renowned for his landscape and portrait works, which captured the essence of rural life in northern Germany during that era.
Throughout its history, the surname FITTJE has maintained a strong presence in various regions of northern Germany, with occasional instances of it appearing in other parts of the country as well. While the name may have originated as a descriptive term or nickname, it has since become a well-established surname with a rich heritage and cultural significance in Germany.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fittje
Among Census respondents with the surname Fittje, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Fittje 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 Fittje surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.0% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino6.5% · 7
- Two or more races4.7% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fittje
Fittje 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
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+12 bearers (+11.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,127 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-6 bearers (-5.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,438 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 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+11.9%) | Up 3,127 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.3%) | Down 5,438 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 Fittje 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 | #146,201 | #151,639 | -3.7% |
| Count | 113 | 107 | -5.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fittje bearers went from 113 to 107 (-5.3% change). The surname moved down 5,438 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #151,639.
FAQ
Fittje surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fittje?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Fittje. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Fittje?
Fittje 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 Fittje. 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 Fittje.
Has Fittje become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fittje went from 113 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Fittje?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fittje, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Fittje in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.0% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fittje appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.0%), Hispanic (6.5%), Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Fittje (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 Fittje mean?
A German surname derived from an offensive vulgar term. 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 Fittje (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 people share the surname Fittje?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.