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

Phon, 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 Phon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Phon in America

Phon is the 59017th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Phon surname appeared 343 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Phon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Phon 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 Phon

The surname PHON is believed to have originated in the region of Auvergne, France during the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "fon" which means "fountain" or "spring." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a natural spring or water source.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PHON surname can be found in the Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Pébrac, a medieval manuscript dating back to 1192. This document mentions a nobleman named Guillelmus de Fon, who was likely the progenitor of the PHON family line.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms such as "de Fon," "de Fons," and "de Fontibus" in various charters and records from the Auvergne region. This indicates that the name was subject to variations in spelling and pronunciation during this time.

During the 14th century, the PHON surname began to spread beyond the confines of Auvergne. Historical records from the city of Lyon mention a merchant named Jean Phon who was active in the silk trade around 1380.

One of the most notable individuals bearing the PHON surname was Pierre Phon, a French soldier and diplomat who lived from 1525 to 1597. He served as a military advisor to King Henry III and played a crucial role in negotiating the Treaty of Vervins in 1598, which ended the Franco-Spanish War.

Another prominent figure was Jeanne Phon (1588-1668), a French noblewoman and philanthropist who founded several hospitals and orphanages in the city of Clermont-Ferrand. Her charitable work earned her widespread recognition and respect during her lifetime.

In the 17th century, the PHON family expanded into the neighboring regions of Burgundy and Languedoc. One member of note was Jacques Phon (1621-1692), a renowned architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the city of Dijon.

As the PHON surname spread across France, it also found its way into other parts of Europe. In the 18th century, a branch of the family settled in the German principality of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, where they anglicized their name to "Fon."

Overall, the PHON surname has a rich history that can be traced back to the medieval period in France. While it may have originated as a descriptive name referring to a natural water source, it has since evolved into a respected family name with a presence across Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Phon

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

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

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

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