2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fornadel
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Fornadel. 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 Fornadel 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 Fornadel 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 Fornadel, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fornadel
The surname Fornadel is of Spanish origin, having its roots in the Catalan language spoken in the regions of Catalonia, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands. The name is believed to have emerged around the 13th century, derived from the Catalan word "forn," meaning "oven" or "furnace," and the suffix "-adel," indicating a diminutive or smaller version.
This surname likely originated as a descriptive name for someone who lived near or worked with a small oven or furnace. It may have been associated with various occupations, such as bakers, potters, or blacksmiths, who relied on ovens and furnaces for their craft.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fornadel can be found in the "Llibre del Repartiment," a 13th-century document detailing the distribution of lands and properties in the Kingdom of Valencia after the Reconquista. This document mentions several individuals bearing the surname Fornadel, indicating their presence in the region during that time.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named Joan Fornadel was a renowned potter and ceramicist from the town of Manises, near Valencia. His works were highly prized and exported throughout the Mediterranean region, showcasing the artistic and cultural significance of the Fornadel name.
Another prominent individual with the surname Fornadel was Guillermo Fornadel, a 16th-century merchant and trader from Barcelona. He played a pivotal role in establishing trade routes and fostering economic ties between Catalonia and the Italian city-states during the Renaissance period.
Moving forward to the 17th century, Margarita Fornadel, a philanthropist from Valencia, founded a charitable institution dedicated to providing education and support for underprivileged children. Her legacy continues to be celebrated in the region for her compassionate efforts.
In the 19th century, Rafael Fornadel, a renowned architect from Mallorca, designed several iconic buildings and churches that still stand as testament to his architectural prowess. His works are celebrated as part of the rich cultural heritage of the Balearic Islands.
While the surname Fornadel may have evolved in spelling and spread to other regions over time, its historical roots can be traced back to the Catalan-speaking regions of Spain, where it emerged as a descriptive name associated with ovens, furnaces, and various occupations related to these structures.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fornadel
Among Census respondents with the surname Fornadel, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Fornadel 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 Fornadel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.3% · 108
- Hispanic or Latino6.0% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fornadel
Fornadel 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,654 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+7 bearers (+6.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,125 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,654 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.4%) | Up 5,125 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 Fornadel 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 | #149,395 | #144,270 | 3.4% |
| Count | 110 | 117 | 6.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fornadel bearers went from 110 to 117 (+6.4% change). The surname moved up 5,125 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #144,270.
FAQ
Fornadel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fornadel?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Fornadel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Fornadel?
Fornadel 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 Fornadel. 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 Fornadel.
Has Fornadel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fornadel went from 110 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 7 (+6.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Fornadel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fornadel, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Fornadel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.3% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fornadel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.3%), Hispanic (6.0%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Fornadel (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 Fornadel mean?
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a place name. 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 Fornadel (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 Fornadel?
See how many people have the last name Fornadel on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.