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

Foskey, 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 Foskey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Foskey in America

Foskey is the 15262nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Foskey surname appeared 1,925 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 Foskey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Foskey 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 Foskey

The surname Foskey is of English origin, with its earliest known roots tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "fosc" and "eg," which together translate to "dwelling by the marshy land." This suggests that the name's earliest bearers lived in or near a marshland or fen.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Foskey name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which list a Richard Foske as a taxpayer. The variant spelling "Foske" suggests that the name's pronunciation may have been slightly different in its early days.

During the 14th century, the name appears to have spread to other parts of England, with records showing a William Foskey residing in Somerset in 1327. This indicates that the name had begun to establish itself across different regions of the country.

In the 16th century, the Foskey name appears in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Taunton, Somerset. These records document the baptism of John Foskey in 1582, providing insight into the family's presence in this area during the late Tudor period.

Notable individuals with the surname Foskey throughout history include:

1. Thomas Foskey (1665-1734), a merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, who played a significant role in the local economy during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

2. Elizabeth Foskey (1726-1802), a renowned painter and portraitist from Wiltshire, whose works were highly sought after by the English gentry of her time.

3. John Foskey (1785-1861), a pioneering horticulturist from Kent, credited with developing several new varieties of apples and pears that became popular in the region.

4. William Foskey (1827-1901), a prominent architect from Warwickshire, responsible for designing several notable buildings, including the Stratford-upon-Avon Town Hall and the Church of St. Peter in Leamington Spa.

5. Emma Foskey (1872-1948), a celebrated author and poet from Oxfordshire, whose works often explored themes of nature and the English countryside.

While the Foskey name may not be as widespread today as some other English surnames, its rich history and connections to various regions of England provide a fascinating glimpse into the country's past and the lives of those who bore this distinctive name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Foskey

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

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

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

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