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

Fou, 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 Fou surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fou in America

Fou is the 158432nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fou surname appeared 102 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 Fou.

The history of the last name Fou

The surname FOU is believed to have originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "fou," which means "foolish" or "insane." This name was likely given as a nickname to someone who exhibited eccentric or foolish behavior.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FOU can be found in the Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Père de Chartres, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 11th century. This document mentions a certain "Robertus dictus Fous" (Robert called the Fool) who lived in the region of Chartres, France.

In the 13th century, the name FOU appeared in the records of the Duchy of Burgundy, where a nobleman named Jean FOU was mentioned as a member of the court of Duke Hugh IV. This suggests that the name was not limited to the lower classes and was also adopted by the nobility.

During the 14th century, the FOU surname was associated with several notable figures. One of the most prominent was Étienne FOU, a French poet and troubadour who was active in the court of King Charles V. Another notable bearer of the name was Jeanne FOU, a wealthy merchant from the city of Lyon who funded the construction of a hospital in the late 1300s.

In the 15th century, the name FOU was found in various regions of France, including Normandy, Brittany, and Provence. One notable figure from this period was Guillaume FOU, a French soldier who fought in the Hundred Years' War and was mentioned in chronicles for his bravery during the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

The FOU surname also has connections to certain place names in France. For example, there is a village called Fouqueville in the region of Normandy, which may have derived its name from the FOU family who once resided there. Similarly, the town of Fouquereuil in northern France is believed to have origins related to the FOU surname.

As the centuries passed, the FOU surname continued to be found throughout France and other parts of Europe. While not as common as some other surnames, it has left a distinct mark in history, with various individuals bearing this name making contributions in fields such as literature, commerce, and warfare.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fou

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

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 Fou 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.

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

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

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