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

Fitz, 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 Fitz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fitz in America

Fitz is the 8567th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fitz surname appeared 3,846 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Fitz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fitz 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 Fitz

The surname "FITZ" is an Anglo-Norman French word derived from the Old French "fils" meaning "son". It was originally used as a prefix to denote illegitimate sons of kings or noblemen. The earliest known records of the name date back to the 11th century in England, following the Norman conquest in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. Entries in the Domesday Book include individuals such as Fitz Gilbert and Fitz Walter.

By the 12th century, the use of "Fitz" as a surname had become more widespread, with many prominent figures bearing the name. One notable example is Robert FitzWalter (c.1162-1235), a powerful baron and leader of the baronial rebellion against King John in the early 13th century.

Another famous bearer of the surname was William FitzPatrick (c.1105-1185), a Norman lord who became the first Baron of Upper Ossory in Ireland. His descendants adopted the anglicized surname "Fitzpatrick" and became a powerful Anglo-Norman family in Ireland.

In Scotland, the surname "FitzAlan" was prominent among the Norman nobility. One of the most notable figures was Walter FitzAlan (c.1105-1177), a Breton knight who became the first High Steward of Scotland and progenitor of the Stewart/Stuart dynasty of Scottish kings.

The surname "FitzGerald" also has its roots in Anglo-Norman nobility, with the first recorded bearer being Walter FitzOtho (c.1110-1177), a Norman constable of Windsor Castle. His son, Gerald FitzWalter (c.1150-1204), was the progenitor of the powerful FitzGerald dynasty in Ireland, which included several Earls of Kildare and Earls of Desmond.

Throughout history, the spelling of "Fitz" has varied, with variations such as "Fitz," "Fitz," "Fitz," and "Fitz" all being used. The prefix was often combined with a father's name or place of origin, leading to the formation of many unique surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fitz

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

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

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

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