2000
#35,522
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 599
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.22
Very Rare Last name
Fonder
A surname possibly derived from an Old French term meaning someone of a gentle nature.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 812 Americans carry the last name Fonder. That puts it at #34,480 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.24 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 422,111 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fonder 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
812
1 in 422,111
Census rank
#34,480
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
708
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 708 bearers of the surname Fonder in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.24 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 34480th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fonder, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.7%. The next largest groups are Black (15.5%) and Hispanic (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fonder
The surname FONDER is believed to have originated in France during the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "fonder," which means "to establish" or "to found." The name was likely given to someone who established a new settlement or played a significant role in the founding of a town or village.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FONDER can be found in a medieval French manuscript from the year 1247, which mentions a person named Jean Fonder. This document suggests that the name was already in use during the 13th century.
In the 14th century, the FONDER surname appeared in several historical records, including the "Livre des Métiers" (Book of Trades) in Paris, where it was associated with various occupations related to construction and building.
During the 16th century, the FONDER family was well-established in the province of Normandy, France. One notable figure from this period was Pierre Fonder (1522-1591), a prominent merchant and landowner who played a crucial role in the local economy.
As the FONDER family spread across Europe, the spelling of the name evolved slightly. In England, it was sometimes written as "Founder," while in Germany, it appeared as "Funder" or "Fonder."
One of the most famous individuals with the surname FONDER was Marie-Anne Fonder (1729-1808), a French novelist and playwright who gained recognition for her works during the Enlightenment period.
In the 19th century, the FONDER name was carried to the Americas by French and German immigrants. One notable American with this surname was William Fonder (1835-1912), a businessman and philanthropist who established several charitable foundations in New York City.
Another prominent figure with the FONDER surname was Jacques Fonder (1872-1948), a French architect who designed several iconic buildings in Paris, including the Palais de Chaillot and the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.
The FONDER surname has a rich history spanning centuries and continents, with its origins firmly rooted in the French language and culture. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, its connection to the concept of founding or establishing remains a constant thread throughout its remarkable journey.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fonder
Among Census respondents with the surname Fonder, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.7%. The next largest groups are Black (15.5%) and Hispanic (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Fonder 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 Fonder surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.7% · 515
- Black or African American15.5% · 110
- Hispanic or Latino5.1% · 36
- Two or more races4.8% · 34
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fonder
Fonder appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#37,792
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 588
-11 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.20
Rank movement Down 2,270 places
2020
#34,480
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 708
+120 bearers (+20.4%)
Per 100,000 0.24
Rank movement Up 3,312 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #35,522 | 599 | 0.22 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #37,792 | 588 | 0.20 | -11 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 2,270 places |
| 2020 | #34,480 | 708 | 0.24 | +120 bearers (+20.4%) | Up 3,312 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 Fonder 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 | #37,792 | #34,480 | 8.8% |
| Count | 588 | 708 | 20.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.20 | 0.24 | 18.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fonder bearers went from 588 to 708 (+20.4% change). The surname moved up 3,312 positions in the national ranking, going from #37,792 to #34,480.
FAQ
Fonder surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fonder?
Name Census estimates that about 812 living Americans carry the surname Fonder. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 422,111 residents.
How common is Fonder?
Fonder ranks #34,480 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.24 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 708 people with the surname Fonder. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (812), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.24 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.24 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 Fonder.
Has Fonder become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fonder went from 588 recorded bearers to 708. That is an increase of 120 (+20.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #37,792 to #34,480.
What does the Census say about the background of Fonder?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fonder, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.7%. The next largest groups are Black (15.5%) and Hispanic (5.1%). 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 Fonder in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.7% (515 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fonder appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (72.7%), Black (15.5%), Hispanic (5.1%). 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 Fonder (2000, 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 Fonder mean?
A surname possibly derived from an Old French term meaning someone of a gentle nature. 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 Fonder (0.24 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 Americans have the surname Fonder?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.