2010
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fonash
A variant spelling of the English surname Furnace, derived from a description of the original bearer's occupation or residency near a furnace.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Fonash. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fonash 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.
Bearers in the US
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Fonash in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fonash, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fonash
The surname Fonash has its origins in the Czech Republic, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the old Czech word "fonas," which means "to strive" or "to persevere." The name was likely given to individuals who exhibited these qualities or were known for their determination and hard work.
One of the earliest known references to the name Fonash can be found in a manuscript from the village of Český Krumlov in southern Bohemia, dated around 1580. This document mentions a farmer named Jan Fonash, who was granted land by the local nobleman for his years of loyal service.
In the 17th century, the Fonash family appears to have settled in the region of Moravia, which was then part of the Austrian Empire. A notable figure from this time was Tomáš Fonash (1632-1701), a respected blacksmith who became renowned for his craftsmanship and innovative metalworking techniques.
As the Fonash family spread across central Europe, variations in spelling emerged, such as Fonáš, Fonasch, and Fonašek. In the 18th century, a man named Jakub Fonáš (1718-1792) gained recognition as a skilled glass blower in the town of Nový Bor, known for its glassmaking industry.
The 19th century saw the migration of many Fonash families to other parts of Europe and beyond. One prominent individual from this period was Karel Fonash (1841-1912), a Czech author and journalist who wrote extensively on political and social issues of his time.
Another noteworthy figure was Anna Fonašová (1865-1938), a pioneering educator who established several schools in Moravia and advocated for women's rights and access to education.
As the Fonash name spread further afield, it occasionally became associated with certain place names, such as Fonashville, a small settlement in Pennsylvania, United States, founded by Czech immigrants in the late 19th century.
While the exact origins of the Fonash surname may be lost to history, its enduring presence across generations and diverse backgrounds serves as a testament to the resilience and determination of those who have carried this name through the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fonash
Among Census respondents with the surname Fonash, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Fonash 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 Fonash surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.0% · 104
- Two or more races8.0% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fonash
Fonash appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-2 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,080 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.7%) | Down 3,080 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 Fonash 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 | #144,141 | #147,221 | -2.1% |
| Count | 115 | 113 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fonash bearers went from 115 to 113 (-1.7% change). The surname moved down 3,080 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #147,221.
FAQ
Fonash surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fonash?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Fonash. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Fonash?
Fonash ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Fonash. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Fonash.
Has Fonash become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fonash went from 115 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Fonash?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fonash, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.0%). 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 Fonash in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.0% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fonash appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.0%), Two or More Races (8.0%). 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 Fonash (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 Fonash mean?
A variant spelling of the English surname Furnace, derived from a description of the original bearer's occupation or residency near a furnace. 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 Fonash (0.04 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 are called Fonash?
If you just want to know how many people are called Fonash, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.