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

Fitzgerald, 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 Fitzgerald surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fitzgerald in America

Fitzgerald is the 430th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fitzgerald surname appeared 75,356 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 26 people would have the surname Fitzgerald.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fitzgerald 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 Fitzgerald

The surname FITZGERALD is an ancient Irish name with origins dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "fitz," meaning son, and "Gerald," which was a common Norman name at the time. The name essentially translates to "son of Gerald."

The first known bearer of the name was Maurice FitzGerald, a Norman-Welsh nobleman who came to Ireland in the late 12th century during the Norman invasion. He and his descendants played a significant role in the conquest and settlement of Ireland, establishing themselves as powerful lords and landowners.

The name can be traced back to the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book records several individuals with variations of the name, such as Geraldus and Giraldus, indicating its Norman roots.

One of the earliest and most notable FITZGERALDs was Gerald of Windsor, who was born around 1120 and served as the Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1172 to 1176. Another prominent figure was Maurice FitzGerald, the 2nd Lord of Offaly, who lived from 1194 to 1257 and played a crucial role in the conquest of Connacht.

The FITZGERALDs were also closely associated with the ancient Kingdom of Desmond in southwestern Ireland. The Earls of Desmond, a powerful and influential family, bore the FITZGERALD surname for several generations, starting with John FitzThomas FitzGerald, who was born around 1310 and became the 1st Earl of Desmond.

In the 14th century, the name was recorded in various forms, such as Fitz Gerald, FitzGerold, and FitzGirald, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation at the time. The name was also associated with various place names, including Kildare, where the FITZGERALDs held significant landholdings and influence.

Notable FITZGERALDs throughout history include Lord Edward FitzGerald (1763-1798), an Irish revolutionary and leader of the United Irishmen, George FitzGerald (1612-1665), an Irish Jesuit and theologian, and Francis Scott Key FitzGerald (1859-1935), an American author and translator best known for his work on the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fitzgerald

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

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

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

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