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

Fussell, 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 Fussell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fussell in America

Fussell is the 6974th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fussell surname appeared 4,810 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Fussell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fussell 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 Fussell

The surname Fussell is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "fyrs" meaning furze or gorse, and "hyll" meaning hill or slope. It was initially used as a topographic surname for someone who lived near a furze-covered hill or slope.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Fyrshill". This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in parts of England.

During the Middle Ages, the surname was often spelled in various ways, including Furshill, Furssell, and Fursell, reflecting the regional dialects and phonetic variations of the time.

In the 13th century, the Fussell family was well-established in the county of Gloucestershire, with records showing individuals such as William Fursell (born around 1230) and John Furshill (born around 1280) residing in the area.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Fussell (1525-1601), a wealthy merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Drapers in London. He served as Lord Mayor of London in 1592.

Another prominent figure was Philip Fussell (1648-1720), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Taunton in Somerset during the late 17th century.

In the literary world, the name is associated with Paul Fussell (1924-2012), an American cultural critic, historian, and professor of English literature. He is best known for his works on World War II and the study of social class.

The Fussell surname has also been carried by notable academics, such as Edwin Sarmiento Fussell (1921-2010), an American botanist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and Edwin Fussell (1811-1856), a British artist and engraver renowned for his landscape paintings.

While the surname is predominantly found in England, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration, with Fussell families settling in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fussell

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

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

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

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