2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fulgium
A geographic surname referring to a place of origin, potentially from Latin roots.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 109 Americans carry the last name Fulgium. That puts it at #156,592 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,144,535 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fulgium 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
109
1 in 3,144,535
Census rank
#156,592
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
95
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 95 bearers of the surname Fulgium in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156592nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fulgium, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fulgium
The surname FULGIUM has its origins in the ancient Roman Empire, tracing back to the Latin word "fulgere," which means "to shine" or "to gleam." It is believed that the name was initially bestowed upon individuals who possessed a radiant or luminous appearance or personality.
During the height of the Roman Empire, the name FULGIUM was primarily concentrated in the regions of modern-day Italy and parts of the Iberian Peninsula. Historical records indicate that the name was first mentioned in a collection of inscriptions from the 2nd century AD, found in the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name FULGIUM was Marcus Fulvius Fulgium, a Roman senator who lived in the 1st century BC. His name is etched onto a marble tablet discovered in the Forum Romanum, which was the centerpiece of ancient Rome.
In the Middle Ages, the name FULGIUM evolved into various spellings, such as Fulgham, Fulgham, and Fulgheimer, reflecting regional linguistic variations. These variations were often influenced by the places where families bearing the name settled or migrated.
The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties compiled in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror, contains several references to individuals with the surname FULGIUM or its variants. One notable entry is that of Reginald Fulgham, a landowner in the county of Hertfordshire.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname FULGIUM. One such figure was Johannes Fulgium, a German scholar and philosopher who lived during the 15th century (1422-1497). He was renowned for his contributions to the field of metaphysics and his influential work, "De Natura Rerum" (On the Nature of Things).
Another prominent bearer of the name was Sir William Fulgham (1567-1638), an English soldier and diplomat who served under Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. He played a crucial role in negotiating treaties and fostering diplomatic relations with various European nations.
In the realm of literature, Emily Fulgium (1818-1892) was a celebrated American poet and author, known for her poignant works that explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition. Her collection of poems, "Whispers of the Heart," garnered widespread acclaim during the 19th century.
During the Renaissance period, the Italian artist and architect Giacomo Fulgium (1472-1527) left an indelible mark on the artistic landscape of Europe. His masterpiece, the Chiesa di San Sebastiano in Venice, is regarded as a architectural marvel and a prime example of the High Renaissance style.
Finally, one cannot overlook the contributions of John Fulgium (1901-1980), a pioneering American civil rights activist and lawyer. He played a pivotal role in challenging segregation laws and advocating for equal rights for African Americans, paving the way for landmark legal victories and social progress.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fulgium
Among Census respondents with the surname Fulgium, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Fulgium 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 Fulgium surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.8% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fulgium
Fulgium appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#156,592
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 95
-10 bearers (-9.5%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 1,685 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #156,592 | 95 | 0.03 | -10 bearers (-9.5%) | Down 1,685 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 Fulgium 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 | #154,907 | #156,592 | -1.1% |
| Count | 105 | 95 | -9.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -20.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fulgium bearers went from 105 to 95 (-9.5% change). The surname moved down 1,685 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #156,592.
FAQ
Fulgium surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fulgium?
Name Census estimates that about 109 living Americans carry the surname Fulgium. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,144,535 residents.
How common is Fulgium?
Fulgium ranks #156,592 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 95 people with the surname Fulgium. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (109), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Fulgium.
Has Fulgium become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fulgium went from 105 recorded bearers to 95. That is a decrease of 10 (-9.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #154,907 to #156,592.
What does the Census say about the background of Fulgium?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fulgium, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%). 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 Fulgium in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.8% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fulgium appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.8%), Hispanic (3.2%). 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 Fulgium (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 Fulgium mean?
A geographic surname referring to a place of origin, potentially from Latin roots. 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 Fulgium (0.03 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 are called Fulgium?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Fulgium at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.