Explore the Family Name Fortis
The meaning of Fortis
Italian (mainly Piedmont): patronymic from the personal name Forte. It is formed with the Latin ablative plural suffix -is imparting the sense ‘belonging to, of’, in this case ‘member of the Forti family’ (compare Forti).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Fortis in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Fortis has seen a slight decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 66,476th most popular surname and by 2010, it fell to the 79,338th position, marking a decrease of about 19.35%. The count of individuals bearing the surname also dropped from 278 to 240 during this period, representing a decrease of approximately 13.67%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals with the Fortis surname per 100k people declined by 20% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #66,476 | #79,338 | -19.35% |
| Count | 278 | 240 | -13.67% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.1 | 0.08 | -20% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fortis
In terms of ethnic identity, the Fortis surname is predominantly associated with two ethnicities: White and Hispanic. According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, in 2000, about 37.05% of the individuals with the Fortis surname identified as White, a figure that decreased to 31.67% in 2010. However, the percentage of those identifying as Hispanic grew from 59.71% to 66.67% during the same period. Notably, there were no recorded instances of this surname among individuals who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native during either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 59.71% | 66.67% | 11.66% |
| White | 37.05% | 31.67% | -14.52% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |