Explore the Family Name Fitzgibbon
The meaning of Fitzgibbon
Irish: from Anglo-Norman French fi(t)z ‘son’ (see Fitz) + the personal name Gibbon, a Norman French pet form of Gilbert; ‘son of Gibbon’. This name has long been a widespread and important surname in Ireland, and Gaelicized as Mac Giobúin. Sir Gilbert (Gibbon) FitzJohn, illegitimate son of John FitzGerald, 1st Baron Desmond (died 1261), was the ancestor of a line of Anglo-Norman aristocracy in Ireland, who acquired the surname Fitzgibbon with reference to him. Gilbert and his Fitzgibbon descendants were known as ‘the White Knights’ on account of their fair complexion.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Fitzgibbon in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Fitzgibbon has slightly decreased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 13,282nd in terms of frequency, but fell to 13,660th in 2010, a drop of almost 3 percent. Despite this shift in rank, the actual number of individuals with the Fitzgibbon surname increased from 2,107 to 2,216 during the same period, marking a growth of over 5 percent. The proportion of people named Fitzgibbon per 100,000 also saw a slight decrease of around 4 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,282 | #13,660 | -2.85% |
| Count | 2,107 | 2,216 | 5.17% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.78 | 0.75 | -3.85% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fitzgibbon
In terms of ethnicity, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some notable shifts between 2000 and 2010. While the majority of individuals with the Fitzgibbon surname identified as White in both years, this group showed a slight decrease of about 2 percent. In contrast, all other ethnic identities recorded increases. The most significant change was observed among those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native, which more than doubled from 0.28 percent to 0.63 percent. Hispanic representation also grew significantly, by nearly 80 percent. Smaller increases were seen among Asian/Pacific Islander and Black populations, at around 55 percent and 39 percent respectively, while those identifying with two or more races grew by 49 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.49% | 94.22% | -2.35% |
| Hispanic | 1.23% | 2.21% | 79.67% |
| Two or More Races | 1% | 1.49% | 49% |
| Black | 0.62% | 0.86% | 38.71% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.28% | 0.63% | 125% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.38% | 0.59% | 55.26% |