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

Fortson, 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 Fortson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fortson in America

Fortson is the 7765th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fortson surname appeared 4,273 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 Fortson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fortson 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 Fortson

The surname Fortson has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "fort" and "sunu," meaning "fort son" or "son of the fort." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived near or was associated with a fortified structure or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fortson can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a person named Willelmus Fortesun is mentioned. The name was also present in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a Robert Fortsun.

In the 14th century, the name appeared as "Fortson" in various records, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1328, where a John Fortson is mentioned. This spelling variation suggests that the name had become more standardized by this time.

During the medieval period, the Fortson family was based primarily in the counties of Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire, and Essex. However, over time, the name spread to other parts of England, and several notable individuals emerged.

One such individual was Sir John Fortson (c. 1540-1610), a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Buckingham during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another notable figure was William Fortson (1617-1684), a clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Sutton Mandeville in Wiltshire.

In the 18th century, the Fortson family gained prominence in the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances was Richard Fortson (c. 1710-1780), a planter and landowner in Georgia. He was instrumental in the establishment of Wilkes County and served as a member of the Georgia Provincial Congress.

Another notable figure from this period was John Fortson (1741-1824), a soldier and pioneer who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He later settled in Tennessee and became one of the founders of Bledsoe County.

As the Fortson family continued to expand and migrate, they left their mark in various parts of the United States. One such individual was William B. Fortson (1822-1899), a prominent lawyer and politician from Georgia who served as a judge and played a significant role in the state's legal system.

While the surname Fortson is not among the most common in the world, it has a rich history that spans centuries and continents, with notable individuals who have contributed to various fields, including law, politics, religion, and military service.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fortson

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

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

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

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