Explore the Family Name Footman

The meaning of Footman

English: occupational name from Middle English fot-man (Old English fōt ‘foot’ + mann ‘man’) meaning ‘foot soldier, one who travels on foot’, or ‘foot servant’, the latter a meaning first recorded in late Middle English. Any of these three senses may have given rise to the surname.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Footman in the United States?

The Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the popularity of the surname "Footman" increased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 23,346 in terms of prevalence, but by 2010, it had risen to a rank of 21,842, reflecting a growth of 6.44 percent. The overall count of people bearing this surname also increased from 1,017 in 2000 to 1,190 in 2010, marking a significant rise of 17.01 percent. Consequently, the proportion of the "Footman" surname per 100,000 individuals also saw an uptick from 0.38 in 2000 to 0.4 in 2010, indicating a rise of 5.26 percent.

20002010Change
Rank#23,346#21,8426.44%
Count1,0171,19017.01%
Proportion per 100k0.380.45.26%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Footman

In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting shifts for individuals with the surname "Footman" from 2000 to 2010. The bulk of the Footman surname holders identified themselves as Black, accounting for 87.91 percent in 2000 which slightly decreased to 80.34 percent in 2010. Those identifying as White saw an increase from 8.65 percent to 13.78 percent over the decade. The percentage of those identifying as Hispanic also rose significantly, from 1.18 percent in 2000 to 2.18 percent in 2010, showing an increase of 84.75 percent. Individuals identifying with two or more races also grew from 2.06 percent in 2000 to 3.45 percent in 2010, marking an increase of 67.48 percent. There were no bearers of the Footman surname who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.

20002010Change
Black87.91%80.34%-8.61%
White8.65%13.78%59.31%
Two or More Races2.06%3.45%67.48%
Hispanic1.18%2.18%84.75%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%