Fournier last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Fournier

An occupational surname for a baker or someone who operated an oven, derived from Old French.

Fournier, 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 Fournier surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fournier in America

Fournier is the 2505th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fournier surname appeared 14,449 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Fournier.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fournier 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 2505 2335 7.02%
Count 14,449 14,221 1.59%
Proportion per 100k 4.90 5.27 -7.28%

The history of the last name Fournier

The surname Fournier has its origins in France, with records dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "fournier," which means "baker" or "one who works with an oven." This occupational surname was likely given to individuals who worked as bakers or were associated with the baking trade.

The Fournier name can be traced back to various regions of France, particularly in the northern and central parts of the country. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval documents and records from the 12th and 13th centuries.

One notable historical reference to the Fournier name is in the Livre des Métiers (Book of Trades), a medieval French document from the 13th century that lists various professions and trades in Paris. The document mentions the "fourniers" as a guild of bakers and oven workers.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls from Scotland, where individuals with the surname Fournier were recorded as having pledged allegiance to the English king.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Fournier have achieved notable status. One of the earliest recorded examples is Raoul Fournier (c. 1240-1310), a French theologian and canonist who served as the Bishop of Mende and later as a cardinal.

Another notable figure is Claude Fournier (1594-1676), a French scholar and jurist who authored several important works on ecclesiastical law and history. He is considered one of the most influential canonists of the 17th century.

In the realm of art, Étienne Fournier (1683-1748) was a French engraver and artist known for his intricate etchings and illustrations.

Moving into the 19th century, Édouard Fournier (1819-1880) was a French writer and journalist who wrote extensively on the history and culture of Paris.

Additionally, Alban Fournier (1886-1914) was a French novelist best known for his semi-autobiographical novel "Le Grand Meaulnes," which is considered a classic of French literature.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the Fournier surname who left their mark in various fields throughout history, showcasing the rich heritage and legacy associated with this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fournier

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

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 Fournier was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 91.94% 13,284
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.78% 113
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.57% 82
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.53% 77
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.23% 178
Hispanic Origin 4.96% 717

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 Fournier has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 91.94% 93.81% -2.01%
Black 0.78% 0.78% 0.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.57% 0.46% 21.36%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.53% 0.49% 7.84%
Two or More Races 1.23% 1.12% 9.36%
Hispanic 4.96% 3.35% 38.75%

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

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

Reference this page

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"Fournier last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/fournier-surname-popularity/.

"Fournier last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/fournier-surname-popularity/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Fournier last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/fournier-surname-popularity/.

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