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

Fosnaugh, 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 Fosnaugh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fosnaugh in America

Fosnaugh is the 35345th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fosnaugh surname appeared 637 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Fosnaugh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fosnaugh 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 Fosnaugh

The surname Fosnaugh has its origins in England, specifically in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "foss" meaning a ditch or waterway, and "naugh," a variation of the word "nook" or "corner." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a ditch or waterway in a nook or corner.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century, with variations in spelling such as Fosnawe, Fosnagh, and Fosnowe appearing in medieval records and tax rolls. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John de Fosnawe, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1286.

In the 14th century, the name was found in various Lancashire and Yorkshire manorial records, including the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1348, which listed a Richard de Fosnawe as a tenant. This suggests that the Fosnaugh family had established roots in these northern regions by this time.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname appeared in parish records and other documents across northern England. Notable individuals bearing the name included William Fosnaugh, a landowner in Kirkby Malhamdale, Yorkshire, who was mentioned in the Hearth Tax Returns of 1672.

One of the earliest known emigrations of the Fosnaugh family to the American colonies occurred in the late 17th century. John Fosnaugh, born in 1670 in Lancashire, England, arrived in Pennsylvania in 1698 and settled in what is now Chester County.

Other prominent individuals with the surname Fosnaugh throughout history include:

1. Thomas Fosnaugh (1745-1821), a British soldier who served in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Canada.
2. Elizabeth Fosnaugh (1788-1867), a pioneer and early settler in Ohio, who helped establish the town of Fosnaughville, named after her family.
3. John Fosnaugh (1822-1901), a successful businessman and landowner in Illinois, who played a role in the development of the town of Fosnaughville.
4. Mary Fosnaugh (1856-1932), an educator and advocate for women's rights in Pennsylvania.
5. William Fosnaugh (1879-1956), a renowned architect known for his work on several notable buildings in New York City.

While the surname Fosnaugh is relatively uncommon today, it has a rich history dating back to medieval England and has been carried by individuals who have left their mark in various fields across different regions of the United States and Canada.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fosnaugh

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

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

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

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