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

Funkhouser, 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 Funkhouser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Funkhouser in America

Funkhouser is the 8339th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Funkhouser surname appeared 3,971 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Funkhouser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Funkhouser 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 Funkhouser

The surname Funkhouser is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is a compound word derived from the German words "Funk" and "Haus," which translates to "funky/sparky house" or "house of sparks." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a blacksmith's dwelling or workshop where sparks flew from the forge.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Funkhouser can be found in various German archives and records dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. One notable mention is in the Nuremberg Chronicles, a world history published in 1493, where a Hans Funkhouser is listed as a respected craftsman in the city.

As the name spread across German-speaking regions, variations in spelling emerged, such as Funkhausen, Funckhausen, and Funkhuysen. These variations often reflected local dialects or the influence of other languages in the areas where the name was prevalent.

The Funkhouser surname eventually made its way to other parts of Europe and, later, to the Americas through emigration. One of the earliest known bearers of the name in North America was Johann Funkhouser, who arrived in Pennsylvania from the Palatinate region of Germany in the early 18th century.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Funkhouser surname. One such figure was Wilhelm Funkhouser (1838-1917), a prominent German architect and urban planner who designed several landmark buildings in Berlin and other German cities.

Another notable Funkhouser was Hans Funkhouser (1892-1964), a German-American journalist and author who wrote extensively about the rise of Nazism in Germany and the events leading up to World War II.

In the United States, Joseph Funkhouser (1875-1942) was a respected educator and administrator who served as the president of Kentucky Wesleyan College from 1917 to 1941.

Additionally, Gretchen Funkhouser (1939-2021) was a renowned American artist and sculptor, known for her large-scale public installations and works exploring themes of nature and the environment.

More recently, Eric Funkhouser (born 1975) is an American author and literary critic who has published several critically acclaimed novels and collections of short stories.

While the Funkhouser surname may have humble beginnings rooted in the sparks of a blacksmith's forge, its rich history and diverse bearers have left an indelible mark across various fields and regions throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Funkhouser

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

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

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

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