2000
#11,781
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,435
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.90
Rare Last name
Fye
A surname of unknown origin and meaning, possibly derived from a place name or a nickname.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,662 Americans carry the last name Fye. That puts it at #12,700 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.78 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 128,758 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fye 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
2.7K
1 in 128,758
Census rank
#12,700
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,321 bearers of the surname Fye in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.78 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12700th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fye, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fye
The surname "FYE" is believed to have originated in the British Isles, specifically in England and Scotland. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "fye," which meant "to drive away" or "to put to flight." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who worked as a drover, herding animals or driving them away from fields or villages.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "FYE" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and their holdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Fie," "Fye," and "Fye."
In the 13th century, records show a Richard Fye residing in Yorkshire, England. Another early bearer of the name was John Fye, who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1257.
The name "FYE" can also be traced back to places like Fyfield in Wiltshire, England, and Fyfield in Essex, England. These place names are believed to have derived from the Old English words "fyge" (fugitive) and "feld" (field), possibly referring to fields or areas where outlaws or fugitives sought refuge.
One notable individual with the surname "FYE" was Robert Fye, an English clergyman and theologian who lived in the 15th century. He was a master at the University of Oxford and served as the Chancellor of the University from 1471 to 1472.
Another prominent figure was Sir John Fye, a Scottish knight who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century. He played a crucial role in several battles against the English and was granted lands in recognition of his valor.
In the 16th century, there was a Thomas Fye, a merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire, England, who was known for his successful business ventures and philanthropic endeavors.
The surname "FYE" also has connections to Ireland, where it is sometimes spelled as "Faye." One notable Irish bearer of this name was Aodh Faye, a 17th-century Gaelic poet and scholar from County Donegal.
Throughout history, the surname "FYE" has been associated with various occupations, including farming, clergy, military service, and trade. While the exact origins and meanings may have evolved over time, the name remains a part of the rich tapestry of surnames found in the British Isles and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fye
Among Census respondents with the surname Fye, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Fye 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 Fye surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.3% · 1,980
- Black or African American7.5% · 173
- Two or more races3.1% · 72
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 70
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 14
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fye
Fye 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
#12,795
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,410
-25 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.82
Rank movement Down 1,014 places
2020
#12,700
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,321
-89 bearers (-3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.78
Rank movement Up 95 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,781 | 2,435 | 0.90 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,795 | 2,410 | 0.82 | -25 bearers (-1.0%) | Down 1,014 places |
| 2020 | #12,700 | 2,321 | 0.78 | -89 bearers (-3.7%) | Up 95 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 Fye 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 | #12,795 | #12,700 | 0.7% |
| Count | 2,410 | 2,321 | -3.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.82 | 0.78 | -5.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fye bearers went from 2,410 to 2,321 (-3.7% change). The surname moved up 95 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,795 to #12,700.
FAQ
Fye surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fye?
Name Census estimates that about 2,662 living Americans carry the surname Fye. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 128,758 residents.
How common is Fye?
Fye ranks #12,700 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.78 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,321 people with the surname Fye. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,662), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.78 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.78 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Fye.
Has Fye become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fye went from 2,410 recorded bearers to 2,321. That is a decrease of 89 (-3.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,795 to #12,700.
What does the Census say about the background of Fye?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fye, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.3%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Fye in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.3% (1,980 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fye appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.3%), Black (7.5%), Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Fye (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 Fye mean?
A surname of unknown origin and meaning, possibly derived from a place name or a nickname. 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 Fye (0.78 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 Fye?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.