2000
#8,343
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,649
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.35
Rare Last name
Fitz
Derived from a Norman French prefix meaning "son of," indicating illegitimate descent from a nobleman.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,197 Americans carry the last name Fitz. That puts it at #8,612 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.22 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 81,667 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fitz 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Fitz with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.2K
1 in 81,667
Census rank
#8,612
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,660 bearers of the surname Fitz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.22 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8612th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.5%) and Black (12.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fitz
Among Census respondents with the surname Fitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.5%) and Black (12.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Fitz 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 Fitz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White71.7% · 2,626
- Hispanic or Latino12.5% · 456
- Black or African American12.0% · 440
- Two or more races2.6% · 94
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 30
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fitz
Fitz 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
#8,567
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,846
+197 bearers (+5.4%)
Per 100,000 1.30
Rank movement Down 224 places
2020
#8,612
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,660
-186 bearers (-4.8%)
Per 100,000 1.22
Rank movement Down 45 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,343 | 3,649 | 1.35 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,567 | 3,846 | 1.30 | +197 bearers (+5.4%) | Down 224 places |
| 2020 | #8,612 | 3,660 | 1.22 | -186 bearers (-4.8%) | Down 45 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 Fitz 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 | #8,567 | #8,612 | -0.5% |
| Count | 3,846 | 3,660 | -4.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.30 | 1.22 | -5.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fitz bearers went from 3,846 to 3,660 (-4.8% change). The surname moved down 45 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,567 to #8,612.
FAQ
Fitz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fitz?
Name Census estimates that about 4,197 living Americans carry the surname Fitz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 81,667 residents.
How common is Fitz?
Fitz ranks #8,612 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.22 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,660 people with the surname Fitz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,197), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.22 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.22 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Fitz.
Has Fitz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fitz went from 3,846 recorded bearers to 3,660. That is a decrease of 186 (-4.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,567 to #8,612.
What does the Census say about the background of Fitz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.5%) and Black (12.0%). 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 Fitz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.7% (2,626 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fitz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (71.7%), Hispanic (12.5%), Black (12.0%). 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 Fitz (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 Fitz mean?
Derived from a Norman French prefix meaning "son of," indicating illegitimate descent from a nobleman. 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 Fitz (1.22 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 last name Fitz?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Fitz on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.