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

Foulds, 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 Foulds surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Foulds in America

Foulds is the 31033rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Foulds surname appeared 748 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 Foulds.

We can also compare 2010 data for Foulds 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 Foulds

The surname Foulds originates from England, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "fold," which referred to an enclosure for animals or a small valley. The name likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a fold or a valley.

Foulds is a variant spelling of the more common surname Folds, which appeared in various historical records such as the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, where one John del Foldes was mentioned. This early record suggests that the name was present in Yorkshire during that period.

In the 14th century, the name Foulds can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where it was listed as "Foldes." This spelling variation highlights the fluid nature of surnames during that era, as they were often subject to regional dialects and scribal interpretations.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Richard de Foldes, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1285. This historical document provides evidence of the name's presence in the region during the late 13th century.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Foulds. One such figure was John Foulds (1760-1846), a British merchant and philanthropist who established the Foulds Trust, dedicated to supporting education and charity initiatives.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Sir William Foulds (1850-1927), a Scottish businessman and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Kilmarnock Burghs constituency from 1900 to 1906.

In the literary realm, Emily Foulds (1887-1968) was a British writer and poet known for her works exploring themes of nature and rural life. Her collection of poems, "The Hillside Muse," published in 1924, received critical acclaim.

Robert Foulds (1892-1975) was a renowned English cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and represented England in Test matches between 1920 and 1928.

Additionally, the name Foulds has been associated with various place names in England, such as Foulds Farm in Eccleshill, West Yorkshire, and Foulds Lane in Marple, Greater Manchester, further highlighting its historical geographic connections.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Foulds

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

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

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

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