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

Foraker, 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 Foraker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Foraker in America

Foraker is the 16188th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Foraker surname appeared 1,785 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Foraker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Foraker 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 Foraker

The surname Foraker is of German origin, derived from the German word "forach," which means "a small stream or brook." The name likely originated in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century, in the regions of present-day Germany and Austria.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Foraker can be found in the Bavarian town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where a Hans Foracher was mentioned in a document dated 1472. It's believed that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a small stream or brook.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records in the German states, such as the town of Nürnberg, where a Johann Foracher was listed as a resident in 1539. During this period, variations in spelling, including Foracher, Fohraker, and Forcher, were common due to inconsistencies in record-keeping.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name in America was Jacob Foraker, who immigrated to Pennsylvania from Germany in the early 18th century. He settled in Lancaster County, where he established a family and passed on the surname to his descendants.

Notable individuals with the surname Foraker include Joseph Benson Foraker (1846-1917), a prominent American politician who served as the 37th Governor of Ohio and later as a United States Senator. He was a key figure in the Republican Party during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Another significant figure was Charles Foraker (1819-1894), an American businessman and politician who served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. He was also involved in various business ventures, including banking and railroads.

In the literary world, John Foraker (1877-1944) was an American author and journalist known for his works on nature and outdoor life. He published several books, including "The Romantic West," and "The Coyote-Hunter."

Additionally, Milton Foraker (1888-1970) was a renowned American architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Los Angeles City Hall and the Los Angeles Union Station.

The surname Foraker has also been associated with various place names, such as Foraker Township in Ohio, which was likely named after the prominent political figure Joseph Benson Foraker.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Foraker

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

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

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

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