Fox
Usually a nickname surname for someone thought to be foxlike in cleverness, speed, or appearance; in some cases it was anglicized from Irish O’Siunach.
The #180 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 2,027 Americans shares it.
Etymology
In most English uses, Fox comes from the animal name used as a nickname, much like Wolf or Bear. The image behind it is usually one of cunning, alertness, red hair, or a quick, sly manner rather than a literal connection to the animal itself. Some historical sources also note an alternative Irish origin, from the sept O’Siunach, whose chief was known as “The Fox.”
History
The surname is well established in medieval England and appears in early records in forms such as le Fox and le Foxe. English surname writers regularly treated it as one of the common animal-based nicknames. In Ireland, some Fox families are descended from the Gaelic O’Siunach sept, and the name was later anglicized as Fox.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older surname books, Fox is grouped with other animal nicknames like Wolf, Bear, and Boar, because these names often started as descriptions of character.
From the historical record
“FOX FORSTER. A curt pronunciation of Forester. There are many families of this name of sei)arate origins. The Durham family were characterized as The Friendly FORSTERS. FORSYTH. Probably from Forcett (whence also Fawcett) a township in the”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom