Folta
A locational surname indicating a person who hailed from an area abundant with marshes or wetlands.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 514 Americans carry the last name Folta. That puts it at #48,717 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 666,837 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Folta surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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.
Bearers in the US
514
1 in 666,837
Census rank
#48,717
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
433
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 433 bearers of the surname Folta in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 48717th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Folta, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.6%) and Hispanic (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Folta
The surname Folta has its origins in Poland, where it first emerged in the medieval period. It is believed to derive from the Polish word "folta," which means "folds" or "pleats," potentially referring to a person's occupation as a tailor or seamstress.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Folta name can be found in the 15th-century Tarnów Land Records, where a certain Jan Folta was mentioned as a resident of the town of Pilzno in the year 1457. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.
In the 16th century, the Folta surname appears in various historical documents, such as the 1564 Tax Register of the Kraków Voivodeship, where a certain Mikołaj Folta is listed as a landowner in the village of Masłomiąca.
Over the centuries, the Folta name has been associated with several notable individuals. For instance, Jan Folta (1630-1702) was a Polish Catholic priest and theologian who served as the rector of the Kraków Academy (now Jagiellonian University) in the late 17th century.
Another prominent figure bearing the Folta surname was Franciszek Folta (1805-1876), a Polish writer and poet who was a member of the Polish Literary Society in Paris during the 19th century.
In the 20th century, one of the most well-known individuals with the Folta name was Jadwiga Folta (1904-1994), a Polish actress and singer who appeared in numerous films and theater productions throughout her career.
It's worth noting that the Folta surname has also been subject to various spelling variations over time, including Foltha, Foltha, and Folito, reflecting regional and linguistic differences.
While the Folta name has its roots in Poland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply intertwined with the rich cultural heritage of Poland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Folta
Among Census respondents with the surname Folta, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.6%) and Hispanic (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Folta bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Folta surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.2%
- Two or more races1.6%
- Hispanic or Latino1.1%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Folta surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #48,717 | #48,717 | 0.0% |
| Count | 433 | 433 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Folta bearers went from 433 to 433 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #48,717 to #48,717.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Folta
FAQ
Folta surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Folta?
The surname Folta holds position #48,717 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 514 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.15 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Folta surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Folta, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.6%) and Hispanic (1.1%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.