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

Fohl, 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 Fohl surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fohl in America

Fohl is the 53538th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fohl surname appeared 386 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 Fohl.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fohl 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 Fohl

The surname Fohl is of German origin, with roots traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated in the regions of Bavaria and Franconia, where it was initially spelled as "Fuhl" or "Vohl." The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "fuolen," which means "to feel" or "to perceive," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone with heightened senses or intuition.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fohl can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, dating back to the year 1289. Here, a person named "Henricus Vohl" is mentioned, indicating the presence of the name in this region during that time period.

In the 15th century, a variation of the name, "Fohle," appeared in the town records of Nuremberg, a city in Bavaria. This spelling suggests a potential connection to the German word "Fohlen," which means "foal" or "colt," possibly indicating that the name may have been given to someone who worked with horses or lived near a stable.

During the 17th century, the name Fohl gained prominence when Johann Michael Fohl, a renowned German mathematician and astronomer, was born in 1628 in Bamberg, Bavaria. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and is known for his work on calculating the orbits of comets.

Another notable individual bearing the surname Fohl was Friedrich Fohl, a German painter and engraver born in 1789 in Nuremberg. He is known for his landscape paintings and etchings, which captured the beauty of the Bavarian countryside.

In the 19th century, the name Fohl appeared in various regions of Germany, including Saxony, where the Prussian writer and playwright Karl Fohl was born in 1872. His works, which often explored social and political themes, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.

As the name Fohl spread across Germany, it also found its way to other parts of Europe and eventually to the United States, where it was adopted by German immigrants. One such individual was Johann Fohl, who was born in 1842 in Bavaria and later emigrated to America, settling in Pennsylvania.

Throughout its history, the surname Fohl has maintained a strong connection to its German roots, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the regions where it originated. While the name may have evolved over time and taken on different spellings, its essence remains rooted in the Old German language and the stories of those who bore it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fohl

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!