2010
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fosdyck
From a ditch or stream near a moss or bog.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Fosdyck. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fosdyck 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Fosdyck in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fosdyck, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fosdyck
The surname Fosdyck originates from England, with its roots dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "fos" meaning a marsh or boggy area, and "dic" referring to a ditch or embankment. This suggests that the name may have initially been a topographic surname, given to those who lived near a marshy area with a ditch or embankment.
Early records show variations in spelling, including Fosdyke, Fossdyke, and Fawsedyke, which were likely influenced by regional dialects and the evolution of the English language over time. One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Fossdic" in the county of Lincolnshire.
In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Sir John Fosdyck, a knight who fought in the Crusades and later became a prominent landowner in Lincolnshire. His descendants continued to hold lands in the region for several generations.
During the 16th century, a branch of the Fosdyck family settled in the village of Fosdyke, which likely took its name from the surname. This village is located near the River Welland in Lincolnshire, further reinforcing the potential connection between the name and marshlands.
Another notable individual was William Fosdyck, born in 1612 in Lincolnshire, who was a renowned scholar and clergyman. He served as the Rector of St. Michael's Church in Stamford and was known for his contributions to theological writings.
In the 18th century, a prominent figure was Sir Thomas Fosdyck (1725-1801), a successful merchant and philanthropist from London. He amassed a considerable fortune through his trading ventures and used his wealth to support various charitable causes, including the establishment of a hospital in his hometown.
Moving into the 19th century, one of the most celebrated individuals with the surname was the poet and writer, Emily Fosdyck (1819-1892). Born in Yorkshire, she gained recognition for her poignant works that explored themes of nature, love, and spirituality.
While the surname Fosdyck is relatively uncommon today, it continues to carry a rich history rooted in the English countryside and the lives of notable individuals who bore this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fosdyck
Among Census respondents with the surname Fosdyck, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Fosdyck 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 Fosdyck surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.2% · 92
- Two or more races5.9% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.0% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fosdyck
Fosdyck appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-12 bearers (-10.5%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 9,535 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -12 bearers (-10.5%) | Down 9,535 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 Fosdyck 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 | #145,220 | #154,755 | -6.6% |
| Count | 114 | 102 | -10.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fosdyck bearers went from 114 to 102 (-10.5% change). The surname moved down 9,535 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #154,755.
FAQ
Fosdyck surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fosdyck?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Fosdyck. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Fosdyck?
Fosdyck ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 102 people with the surname Fosdyck. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Fosdyck.
Has Fosdyck become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fosdyck went from 114 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 12 (-10.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Fosdyck?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fosdyck, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%). 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 Fosdyck in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.2% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fosdyck appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.2%), Two or More Races (5.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%). 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 Fosdyck (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 Fosdyck mean?
From a ditch or stream near a moss or bog. 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 Fosdyck (0.03 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 common is the surname Fosdyck?
See how common the surname Fosdyck is on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.