2000
#7,878
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,898
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.44
Rare Last name
Fehr
A German occupational surname referring to someone who worked as a ferryman or operated a ferry.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,230 Americans carry the last name Fehr. That puts it at #7,078 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.53 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 65,536 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fehr 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
5.2K
1 in 65,536
Census rank
#7,078
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.6K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,561 bearers of the surname Fehr in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.53 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7078th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fehr, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fehr
The surname FEHR has its origins in Germany, tracing back to the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Fahr," which means "journey" or "passage," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who traveled frequently or resided near a ferry crossing.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FEHR can be found in the German town of Miltenberg, located in the Franconia region of Bavaria. In the year 1586, a man named Hans FEHR was documented as a resident of the town, indicating that the name was already established by that time.
The name FEHR has also been associated with various place names throughout Germany. For example, the village of Fehren in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate may have contributed to the formation of the surname, as it was common for people to adopt surnames based on the places they lived or originated from.
In the 17th century, a notable figure with the surname FEHR was Johann Michael FEHR, a German composer and organist born in Heidelberg in 1660. He gained recognition for his compositions for the church and his work as an organist in various cities across Germany.
During the 18th century, the name FEHR appeared in several historical records, including the birth and baptismal records of the town of Wertheim in Baden-Württemberg. One entry from 1721 mentions the baptism of Johannes FEHR, son of Johann FEHR and his wife Anna Maria.
Another prominent individual with the surname FEHR was Johann Caspar FEHR, a German painter and engraver born in Nuremberg in 1770. His works, which included portraits and historical scenes, were highly regarded during his lifetime, and some of his engravings can be found in art collections around the world.
In the 19th century, the name FEHR continued to be present in various parts of Germany. One notable figure was Wilhelm FEHR, a German politician and lawyer born in Mannheim in 1820. He served as a member of the Reichstag, the parliament of the German Empire, and was known for his advocacy of liberal causes.
Throughout its history, the surname FEHR has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, reflecting the rich cultural tapestry of Germany and its neighboring regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fehr
Among Census respondents with the surname Fehr, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Fehr 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 Fehr surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.3% · 4,166
- Hispanic or Latino4.8% · 220
- Two or more races2.7% · 121
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 35
- Black or African American0.3% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fehr
Fehr 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
#7,767
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,272
+374 bearers (+9.6%)
Per 100,000 1.45
Rank movement Up 111 places
2020
#7,078
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,561
+289 bearers (+6.8%)
Per 100,000 1.53
Rank movement Up 689 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,878 | 3,898 | 1.44 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,767 | 4,272 | 1.45 | +374 bearers (+9.6%) | Up 111 places |
| 2020 | #7,078 | 4,561 | 1.53 | +289 bearers (+6.8%) | Up 689 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 Fehr 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 | #7,767 | #7,078 | 8.9% |
| Count | 4,272 | 4,561 | 6.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.45 | 1.53 | 5.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fehr bearers went from 4,272 to 4,561 (+6.8% change). The surname moved up 689 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,767 to #7,078.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Fehr
FAQ
Fehr surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fehr?
Name Census estimates that about 5,230 living Americans carry the surname Fehr. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 65,536 residents.
How common is Fehr?
Fehr ranks #7,078 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.53 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,561 people with the surname Fehr. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,230), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.53 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.53 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Fehr.
Has Fehr become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fehr went from 4,272 recorded bearers to 4,561. That is an increase of 289 (+6.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #7,767 to #7,078.
What does the Census say about the background of Fehr?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fehr, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Fehr in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (4,166 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fehr appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.3%), Hispanic (4.8%), Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Fehr (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 Fehr mean?
A German occupational surname referring to someone who worked as a ferryman or operated a ferry. 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 Fehr (1.53 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 are called Fehr?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Fehr on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.