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

Fortenberry, 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 Fortenberry surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fortenberry in America

Fortenberry is the 5285th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fortenberry surname appeared 6,589 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Fortenberry.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fortenberry 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 Fortenberry

The surname Fortenberry has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from a combination of the Old English words "fort" and "burgh," which together can be translated as "fortified town" or "fort settlement."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Fortenberry name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conquer in 1086. This document mentions a person named Fortenberie, who was likely an early bearer of the surname.

As the name evolved over the centuries, it underwent various spelling variations, including Fortenbury, Fortinbury, and Fortinberie. These variations often reflected regional dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the names.

During the 13th century, a prominent figure named Sir William Fortenberry served as a knight and landowner in Lincolnshire, England. Records indicate that he participated in the Barons' War against King Henry III in the 1260s.

In the 15th century, a notable bearer of the Fortenberry name was John Fortenberry, who was born in 1412 in Oxfordshire. He was a respected scholar and theologian at the University of Oxford and served as the rector of Lincoln College from 1458 until his death in 1478.

Another significant figure was Sir Thomas Fortenberry (1520-1589), a military commander who fought in the Anglo-Scottish Wars and later served as the Governor of Berwick-upon-Tweed, a strategic border town between England and Scotland.

In the 17th century, the Fortenberry family established roots in the county of Yorkshire, where they held land and played influential roles in local affairs. One noteworthy member was William Fortenberry (1635-1711), a wealthy merchant and landowner who served as the Mayor of York from 1690 to 1691.

As the Fortenberry surname spread across England, it also found its way to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies. In the 18th century, a branch of the family settled in Virginia, where they continued to leave their mark on the region's history.

Throughout the centuries, the Fortenberry name has been associated with various professions and achievements, from military service and scholarly pursuits to business and civic leadership. While the origins of the name can be traced back to medieval England, its legacy has been woven into the fabric of multiple nations and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fortenberry

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

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

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

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