Explore the Family Name Fosse
The meaning of Fosse
1. English: variant of Foss 1. 2. French: topographic name for someone who lived by a ditch, from Old French fosse ‘ditch’ (from Latin fossa), or a habitational name from any of several places called (La) Fosse. Compare Lafosse. 3. French (Fossé): derivative of Old French fosse ‘ditch’ (see 3 above). 4. Norwegian: habitational name from any of the fifteen west-coast farmsteads so named, from the dative form of foss ‘waterfall’ (from Old Norse fors). Some characteristic forenames: Scandinavian Alf, Bernt, Egil, Gudrun.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Fosse in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Fosse saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Fosse was the 28,584th most popular surname in the United States with 785 individuals bearing this name. By 2010, it had dropped to the 31,360th position with the count falling to 739, marking a -5.86% change. The proportion of people per 100k with the surname also decreased by -13.79% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #28,584 | #31,360 | -9.71% |
| Count | 785 | 739 | -5.86% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.29 | 0.25 | -13.79% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Fosse
Regarding ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals with the Fosse surname identified as White in both 2000 and 2010. However, the percentage slightly dropped from 93.76% to 91.47%. There was no recorded Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native identifying with the surname during these years. Those identifying as two or more races saw a significant increase of 112.75%, albeit from a low base of 1.02% in 2000. Meanwhile, the Hispanic and Black communities witnessed modest growth rates of 17.02% and 6.58% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.76% | 91.47% | -2.44% |
| Hispanic | 3.82% | 4.47% | 17.02% |
| Two or More Races | 1.02% | 2.17% | 112.75% |
| Black | 0.76% | 0.81% | 6.58% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |