2000
#126,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Former
An occupational surname derived from the Old French "foumier", referring to a baker or someone connected with ovens.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Former. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Former 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Former in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Former, the largest self-reported group is Black at 46.2%. The next largest groups are White (45.3%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Former
The surname Former is believed to have originated in Germany during the medieval period, possibly derived from the word "Former," which refers to a person who shapes or molds objects, particularly in the context of pottery or metalwork. This occupational surname was likely given to individuals who worked as potters, blacksmiths, or in similar trades involving shaping materials.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany. One notable example is found in the Nuremberg Chronicle, a 15th-century illustrated world history book, which mentions a "Johannes Former" from the city of Nuremberg.
In the 16th century, the name appeared in several historical records across different parts of Germany. For instance, a "Hans Former" was documented in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Franconia in 1527. Additionally, a "Michael Former" was recorded as a resident of Heidelberg in the Palatinate region in 1568.
As people migrated and settled in new areas, the name spread to other parts of Europe and beyond. One notable individual bearing the Former surname was Johann Former, a German blacksmith and metalworker who lived in the city of Hamburg in the late 17th century (1642-1712). His skilled craftsmanship and contributions to the metalworking industry were well-documented during his time.
Another prominent figure was Wilhelm Former, a German potter from the town of Meissen in Saxony, who lived in the 18th century (1721-1790). He was renowned for his exceptional skills in producing high-quality porcelain wares and was recognized as a master craftsman in his field.
In the 19th century, the name appeared in various records across Europe and the Americas, as individuals with the Former surname migrated and settled in new territories. One notable example is Johanna Former, a German immigrant who arrived in the United States in 1854 and eventually settled in Pennsylvania, where she established a successful pottery business.
Throughout history, the Former surname has been associated with skilled craftspeople, artisans, and individuals involved in shaping and molding materials. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, the name has since spread across various regions and cultures, representing a rich tapestry of craftsmanship and tradition.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Former
Among Census respondents with the surname Former, the largest self-reported group is Black at 46.2%. The next largest groups are White (45.3%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Former 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 Former surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American46.2% · 54
- White45.3% · 53
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Former
Former 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-19 bearers (-15.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 27,369 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+11 bearers (+10.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,499 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #126,400 | 125 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -19 bearers (-15.2%) | Down 27,369 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+10.4%) | Up 9,499 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 Former 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 | #153,769 | #144,270 | 6.2% |
| Count | 106 | 117 | 10.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Former bearers went from 106 to 117 (+10.4% change). The surname moved up 9,499 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #144,270.
FAQ
Former surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Former?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Former. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Former?
Former ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Former. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Former.
Has Former become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Former went from 106 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 11 (+10.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Former?
Among Census respondents with the surname Former, the largest self-reported group is Black at 46.2%. The next largest groups are White (45.3%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Former in the 2020 Census, accounting for 46.2% (54 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Former appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (46.2%), White (45.3%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Former (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 Former mean?
An occupational surname derived from the Old French "foumier", referring to a baker or someone connected with ovens. 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 Former (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 have the last name Former?
See how many people have the surname Former on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.