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

Fuqua, 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 Fuqua surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fuqua in America

Fuqua is the 4274th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fuqua surname appeared 8,312 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Fuqua.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fuqua 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 Fuqua

The surname Fuqua is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "fouque" or "foucque," meaning a type of seabird or a marine duck. It is believed to have originated as a nickname or a descriptive name for someone who exhibited characteristics resembling a seabird, such as a quick or agile demeanor.

The earliest recorded use of the name Fuqua dates back to the 13th century in the region of Normandy, France. It is possible that the name was initially adopted by families living in coastal areas or involved in fishing or maritime activities, as the association with seabirds would have been more relevant.

In the 14th century, the name Fuqua appeared in various spelling variations, including Foucque, Fouque, and Foucault, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings during that time period. Some of these variations were influenced by regional dialects and scribal interpretations.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Fuqua can be found in the Livre des Bourgeois d'Arras, a medieval registry of citizens from the town of Arras in northern France, dating back to the 14th century. This record mentions a certain Jean Fouque, indicating the presence of the name in that region.

As the name spread across France and into other parts of Europe, it underwent further spelling variations, such as Foucault, Foucques, and Foucques-Duparc. Notable individuals bearing this surname include the French philosopher and social theorist Michel Foucault (1926-1984), renowned for his works on power, knowledge, and discourse.

In the 17th century, the name Fuqua made its way to the British Isles, where it was anglicized and adapted to various spellings, including Foucault, Fewkes, and eventually Fuqua. One of the earliest recorded instances of the Fuqua spelling can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham, England, where the marriage of William Fuqua was recorded in 1662.

Another notable bearer of the name Fuqua was Sir William Fuqua (1792-1857), a British military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island from 1837 to 1843.

In the 19th century, the name Fuqua gained a presence in the United States, primarily through French and British immigrants. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of John Fuqua (1791-1859), a prominent landowner and farmer in Virginia, who played a role in the early settlement of the region.

Other notable individuals with the surname Fuqua include J. B. Fuqua (1918-2006), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Fuqua companies, and Fredric Fuqua (1909-1987), an American filmmaker and television director known for his work on several popular TV series in the 1960s and 1970s.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fuqua

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

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

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

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