2000
#116,123
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 139
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Funch
A surname from German and Dutch meaning "funnel" or "chimney".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Funch. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Funch 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Funch with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Funch in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Funch, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Black (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Funch
The surname FUNCH is believed to have originated in Germany, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "funke," which means "spark" or "flame." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with someone who worked as a blacksmith or in a related trade involving fire.
One of the earliest documented instances of the name FUNCH can be found in the town of Freiburg im Breisgau, located in the southwestern region of Germany. In a manuscript dated 1187, a person named Heinrich Funch is mentioned as a local landowner and respected member of the community.
As the name spread across Germany, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Funk, Funck, and Funke. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of local scribes who recorded the names.
In the 14th century, the FUNCH surname appeared in the records of the city of Augsburg, where a merchant named Johannes Funch is documented as having conducted trade with neighboring regions. His successful business ventures likely contributed to the spread of the name throughout southern Germany.
Moving forward to the 16th century, a notable figure named Hans FUNCH (1497-1566) gained recognition as a Lutheran theologian and reformer. He played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation and was associated with Martin Luther himself.
Another prominent individual bearing the FUNCH surname was Friedrich FUNCH (1642-1699), a German philosopher and writer who made significant contributions to the field of ethics and moral philosophy during the Enlightenment period.
In the 18th century, Johann Nepomuk FUNCH (1725-1797) was a respected composer and violinist from Bavaria. His compositions, particularly his violin concertos, were widely performed and appreciated in his lifetime.
As the FUNCH surname spread beyond Germany, it also found its way to other parts of Europe. In the 19th century, a Norwegian author named Hans Andreas FUNCH (1810-1892) gained recognition for his works, which included novels, short stories, and plays.
The FUNCH surname has a rich history that spans centuries and various regions, primarily originating from Germany. Despite its varied spellings and geographic dispersal, the name has maintained its presence and contributed to various fields, including theology, philosophy, music, and literature.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Funch
Among Census respondents with the surname Funch, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Black (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Funch 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 Funch surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 109
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Black or African American2.5% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Funch
Funch 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
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-26 bearers (-18.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 30,078 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+7 bearers (+6.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,152 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #116,123 | 139 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | -26 bearers (-18.7%) | Down 30,078 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.2%) | Up 4,152 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 Funch 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 | #146,201 | #142,049 | 2.8% |
| Count | 113 | 120 | 6.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Funch bearers went from 113 to 120 (+6.2% change). The surname moved up 4,152 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #142,049.
FAQ
Funch surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Funch?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Funch. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Funch?
Funch ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Funch. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Funch.
Has Funch become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Funch went from 113 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 7 (+6.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #146,201 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Funch?
Among Census respondents with the surname Funch, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Black (2.5%). 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 Funch in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Funch appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Hispanic (4.2%), Black (2.5%). 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 Funch (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 Funch mean?
A surname from German and Dutch meaning "funnel" or "chimney". 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 Funch (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 have the surname Funch?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.