2000
#88,461
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 195
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Fosburgh
A locational surname originating from a place called Fosburgh in Northumberland, England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 261 Americans carry the last name Fosburgh. That puts it at #87,624 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,313,235 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fosburgh 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
261
1 in 1,313,235
Census rank
#87,624
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
228
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 228 bearers of the surname Fosburgh in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 87624th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fosburgh, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fosburgh
The surname Fosburgh has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "fosse," meaning a ditch or trench, and "burgh," referring to a fortified town or settlement. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with someone who resided near a ditch or fortification surrounding a town.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared as "Fosseburg," which likely referred to a place name rather than a personal surname at that time.
Over the centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Fossburgh, Fosseburgh, and Fosburgh. These changes were common due to inconsistent record-keeping and the influence of regional dialects.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named William de Fosseburgh was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, a record of financial transactions and tax collections. This suggests that the Fosburgh family may have held lands or properties in that region during that period.
Another notable individual was John Fosburgh, a member of the landed gentry in Northamptonshire, England, who was born in 1548. He played a role in local governance and served as a justice of the peace in his county.
During the 17th century, the Fosburgh family established roots in the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded individuals was Thomas Fosburgh, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and was granted land for his service in the colony's militia.
In the 18th century, a prominent figure named Edward Fosburgh (1721-1789) was a successful merchant and landowner in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He played a significant role in the city's economic and social circles during the colonial era.
Another notable individual was Sir John Fosburgh (1780-1852), a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a member of parliament for the borough of Hastings.
Throughout its history, the Fosburgh surname has been associated with various place names, such as Fosburgh Hall in Lincolnshire and Fosburgh Manor in Derbyshire, both of which may have influenced the naming of individuals or families connected to those locations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fosburgh
Among Census respondents with the surname Fosburgh, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Fosburgh 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 Fosburgh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.9% · 205
- Two or more races3.5% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.1% · 7
- Black or African American0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fosburgh
Fosburgh 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
#91,625
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 201
+6 bearers (+3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Down 3,164 places
2020
#87,624
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 228
+27 bearers (+13.4%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 4,001 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #88,461 | 195 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #91,625 | 201 | 0.07 | +6 bearers (+3.1%) | Down 3,164 places |
| 2020 | #87,624 | 228 | 0.08 | +27 bearers (+13.4%) | Up 4,001 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 Fosburgh 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 | #91,625 | #87,624 | 4.4% |
| Count | 201 | 228 | 13.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.08 | 9.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fosburgh bearers went from 201 to 228 (+13.4% change). The surname moved up 4,001 positions in the national ranking, going from #91,625 to #87,624.
FAQ
Fosburgh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fosburgh?
Name Census estimates that about 261 living Americans carry the surname Fosburgh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,313,235 residents.
How common is Fosburgh?
Fosburgh ranks #87,624 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 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 228 people with the surname Fosburgh. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (261), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 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 Fosburgh.
Has Fosburgh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fosburgh went from 201 recorded bearers to 228. That is an increase of 27 (+13.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #91,625 to #87,624.
What does the Census say about the background of Fosburgh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fosburgh, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Fosburgh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.9% (205 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fosburgh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.9%), Two or More Races (3.5%), Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Fosburgh (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 Fosburgh mean?
A locational surname originating from a place called Fosburgh in Northumberland, England. 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 Fosburgh (0.08 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 surname Fosburgh?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.