2000
#121,780
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Fruitt
A surname originating from Old French referring to someone who grew or sold fruit.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Fruitt. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fruitt surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Fruitt in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fruitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fruitt
The surname "FRUITT" is believed to have originated in England, with its roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. The name is thought to derive from the Old English word "fruit," which referred to the produce of trees or plants, particularly those that were edible.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "FRUITT" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This historical record suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who were involved in the cultivation or trade of fruits.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname "FRUITT" began to appear more frequently in various parts of England, particularly in counties such as Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. The name was sometimes spelled differently, with variations like "Fruite" or "Frut" being observed in historical documents.
One notable bearer of the surname "FRUITT" was Sir John Fruitt (c. 1450-1521), a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of Henry VIII. He was known for his involvement in local affairs and his support for the Crown during the Wars of the Roses.
Another individual of historical significance was Elizabeth Fruitt (1560-1627), who was born in Worcestershire and later became a wealthy merchant and philanthropist in London. She was renowned for her charitable works, particularly her support for the establishment of schools and hospitals in the city.
In the 17th century, the "FRUITT" surname spread to other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland and Ireland. One notable figure from this period was Robert Fruitt (1620-1685), a Scottish clergyman and scholar who authored several religious texts and served as a minister in Edinburgh.
As the British Empire expanded, the "FRUITT" surname also found its way to various colonies and territories. One such individual was William Fruitt (1705-1778), a merchant and plantation owner who settled in Virginia, United States, and played a role in the early development of the tobacco trade.
Another notable bearer of the "FRUITT" surname was Mary Fruitt (1780-1856), a pioneer and early settler in the American West. She is remembered for her role in establishing one of the first settlements in what is now Oregon, and her efforts in promoting education and community development in the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fruitt
Among Census respondents with the surname Fruitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Fruitt bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Fruitt surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.6% · 112
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fruitt
Fruitt appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-21 bearers (-16.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 27,615 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+6 bearers (+5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,367 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #121,780 | 131 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | -21 bearers (-16.0%) | Down 27,615 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.5%) | Up 4,367 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Fruitt surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #149,395 | #145,028 | 2.9% |
| Count | 110 | 116 | 5.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fruitt bearers went from 110 to 116 (+5.5% change). The surname moved up 4,367 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #145,028.
FAQ
Fruitt surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fruitt?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Fruitt. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Fruitt?
Fruitt ranks #145,028 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 116 people with the surname Fruitt. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Fruitt.
Has Fruitt become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fruitt went from 110 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 6 (+5.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Fruitt?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fruitt, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Black (0.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Fruitt in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.6% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fruitt appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.6%), Two or More Races (1.7%), Black (0.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Fruitt (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Fruitt mean?
A surname originating from Old French referring to someone who grew or sold fruit. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Fruitt (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Fruitt?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.