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

FitzRoy, 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 FitzRoy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of FitzRoy in America

FitzRoy is the 74826th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The FitzRoy surname appeared 258 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname FitzRoy.

We can also compare 2010 data for FitzRoy 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 FitzRoy

The surname FITZROY has its origins in medieval England, derived from the Norman-French term "fitz le roy," which translates to "son of the king." This surname initially gained prominence during the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century.

The earliest known usage of the surname FITZROY can be traced back to the late 11th century, when it was used by the illegitimate children of King Henry I of England. One of the most notable bearers of this surname was Henry FitzRoy, born around 1103, who was the son of Henry I and his mistress, Sybilla Redvers.

During the Middle Ages, the surname FITZROY was closely associated with the English royal family, as it was often bestowed upon the illegitimate offspring of monarchs or their close relatives. This practice continued through the reigns of subsequent English kings, such as Henry II and John.

The FITZROY surname is mentioned in several historical documents, including the Domesday Book, which was compiled in 1086 under the order of William the Conqueror. In this record, there are references to individuals bearing the surname, indicating their connection to the English monarchy.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname FITZROY was Robert FitzRoy (1805-1865), who was a British naval officer and meteorologist. He is best known for captaining HMS Beagle during Charles Darwin's famous voyage of discovery, which led to the development of Darwin's theory of evolution.

Another notable bearer of the FITZROY surname was Charles FitzRoy (1683-1757), who was the 2nd Duke of Grafton and served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1768 to 1770. He was a prominent figure in British politics during the 18th century.

In the 16th century, the FITZROY surname was also held by Henry FitzRoy (1519-1536), who was the illegitimate son of King Henry VIII and his mistress, Elizabeth Blount. Henry FitzRoy was appointed Duke of Richmond at a young age and was considered a potential heir to the English throne before his untimely death at the age of 17.

Throughout history, the FITZROY surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Fitzroy Square in London and the town of Fitzroy in Somerset. These place names are believed to have been derived from individuals bearing the FITZROY surname who had connections to those locations.

In summary, the surname FITZROY has a rich and storied history, tracing its roots back to the Norman conquest of England and the medieval English monarchy. It has been borne by individuals of noble and royal descent, as well as those associated with significant historical events and discoveries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name FitzRoy

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

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

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

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