Explore the Family Name Foe
The meaning of Foe
1. Altered form of an unidentified German surname. 2. English: nickname from Middle English fo ‘hostile’ (Old English fā) or ‘enemy’ (Old English gefā), in the latter sense perhaps given to someone who played the Devil in a folk play or pageant. 3. English: variant of Fow, from Middle English fou ‘spotted, variegated, multicolored, streaked’ (Old English fāh), perhaps in reference to skin or hair, or to clothing. The word was also used in Middle English to denote a kind of parti-colored fur. 4. Possibly also an altered form of French Faux. 5. Chinese: variant of Foo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Foe in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Foe" saw a slight decline from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked 57,705 in popularity, but by 2010, it had slipped to 59,742, marking a drop of 3.53%. However, the number of people carrying this surname actually rose slightly during this period, from 330 in 2000 to 338 in 2010, an increase of 2.42%. Despite this slight rise in count, the proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 decreased by 8.33% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #57,705 | #59,742 | -3.53% |
| Count | 330 | 338 | 2.42% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.12 | 0.11 | -8.33% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Foe
When observing the ethnic identity associated with the surname "Foe," changes can be seen between the 2000 and 2010 U.S. Census data. The proportion of Asian/Pacific Islanders with this name increased by 22.06%, while the percentage of Hispanics more than doubled, rising by 95.28%. The data also shows a small increase of 9.90% in the Black community. On the other hand, the percentage of Whites with the surname "Foe" declined by 6.26%. There were no recorded instances of this surname among individuals identifying as two or more races or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 83.64% | 78.4% | -6.26% |
| Black | 7.27% | 7.99% | 9.9% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 4.85% | 5.92% | 22.06% |
| Hispanic | 2.12% | 4.14% | 95.28% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |