Explore the Family Name Fortes
The meaning of Fortes
Portuguese, Galician, and Spanish: 1. from an old personal name derived from Latin Fortis, from fortis ‘strong, brave’ (see Fort 2). 2. plural form of Forte. Compare Spanish Fuertes. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Manuel, Alfredo, Alberto, Ana, Armando, Arminda, Aurelio, Avelino, Cecelio, Cesar, Diosdado. Portuguese Joao, Vasco.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Fortes in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Fortes has significantly increased from 2000 to 2010. Ranked 17,483 in 2000, it moved up to 14,881 by 2010, indicating a positive shift of about 14.88%. The count of individuals with this surname also saw a substantial increase of 33.78%, growing from 1,486 in 2000 to 1,988 in 2010. As a result, the proportion of the population with the Fortes name per 100,000 people rose by 21.82%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #17,483 | #14,881 | 14.88% |
| Count | 1,486 | 1,988 | 33.78% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.55 | 0.67 | 21.82% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fortes
In terms of ethnic identity, there have been some notable changes between 2000 and 2010 for those with the surname Fortes. While the percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander remained relatively stable, the percentage identifying with two or more ethnicities dropped sharply from 29.41% to 6.14%. Conversely, there was a significant increase in the proportion of individuals identifying as White, Hispanic, and Black. The largest increase was seen in the Black community, which grew by 57.54%. There was also a noteworthy rise in the American Indian and Alaskan Native community, though their overall representation remains low. This information is based on the Decennial U.S. Census data.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 22.27% | 31.59% | 41.85% |
| Black | 17.43% | 27.46% | 57.54% |
| Hispanic | 16.76% | 20.12% | 20.05% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 13.73% | 13.68% | -0.36% |
| Two or More Races | 29.41% | 6.14% | -79.12% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.4% | 1.01% | 152.5% |