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

Fossett, 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 Fossett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fossett in America

Fossett is the 15758th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fossett surname appeared 1,850 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 Fossett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fossett 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 Fossett

The surname Fossett originated in England during the late medieval period, derived from the Old French word "fosse," meaning a ditch or trench. It was initially an occupational surname given to those who dug or maintained ditches and trenches, often as part of military fortifications or drainage systems.

The earliest recorded instances of the Fossett surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. In the renowned Hundred Rolls of 1273, which documented landowners and their holdings, the name appears as "Fossard" and "Fossator," both variants closely related to the modern spelling.

One of the earliest notable bearers of the Fossett surname was Sir John Fossett, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the late 13th century. He was documented in the Calendarium Genealogicum, a historical record of noble families, as holding substantial estates in Northamptonshire.

During the 14th century, the Fossett surname began to appear in various manorial records and tax rolls throughout England, indicating its widespread distribution. In the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, the name is recorded as "Fosset" and "Fossett" in counties such as Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

The 16th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals bearing the Fossett surname. Among them was William Fossett (c. 1520-1585), a renowned merchant and alderman in the city of London, who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1581. His legacy is commemorated in the Fossett Ward, named after him, within the City of London.

Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Fossett (1567-1634), a Member of Parliament and landowner in Yorkshire. He played a significant role in the English Civil War and was a staunch supporter of the Royalist cause.

In the 18th century, the Fossett surname gained further recognition with the birth of William Fossett (1720-1790), a celebrated English architect and surveyor. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the prestigious Somerset House.

As the name spread throughout England, it also found its way to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances in America was John Fossett, who arrived in Virginia in 1635, establishing a lineage that continues to this day.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fossett

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

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

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

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