Contents [hide]

Felix History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Felix History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Italy

The surname Felix is a patronymic surname, created from the father's given name. During the Middle Ages, Italians adopted the patronymic system of name-making because it perfectly complemented the prevailing Feudal System. The name Felix came from the Latin word "felix," which means "happy."

Early Origins of the Felix family

The surname Felix was first found in Rome (Italian: Roma), the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, where Marcus Antonius Felix was a prominent member of the community, as he is known to have cleared the country of robbers.

Early History of the Felix family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Felix research. The years 1217, 1291, 1433, 1463 and 1479 are included under the topic Early Felix History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Felix Spelling Variations

In comparison with other European surnames, Italian surnames have a surprising number of forms. They reflect the regional variations and the many dialects of the Italian language, each with its own distinctive features. For example, in Northern Italy the typical Italian surname suffix is "i", whereas in Southern Italy it is "o". Additionally, spelling changes frequently occurred because medieval scribes and church officials often spelled names as they sounded rather than according to any specific spelling rules. The spelling variations in the name Felix include Felici, Felice, Filice, Felise, Felis, Felisaz, De Felice, De Felici, Del Felice, Di Felice, Felicetti, Felicetta, Felicini, Felicioli, Feliciotti, Feliciani, Felician, Feliziani, Felicioni, Felisati, Felisatti, Feliciangeli, Felicitas and many more.

Early Notables of the Felix family

Prominent among members of the family was

Today, Monotype's Felix Titling font is based on his 1463 alphabet font...

Felix Ranking

In the United States, the name Felix is the 1,031^st most popular surname with an estimated 29,844 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Felix is ranked the 656^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,232 people with that name. 2

Felix migration to the United States +

Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Felix or a variant listed above:

Felix Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Jon Felix, who landed in Virginia in 1653 3

Felix Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Magdalena Felix, who arrived in Carolina in 1734 3
Barbara Felix, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1734
Michael Felix, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1751 3
Nicolaus Felix, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1754 3
Stephani Felix, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1768 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Felix Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Don Felix, who arrived in Baltimore in 1823
A Felix, aged 15, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1826 3
Henry Felix, who settled in Rhode Island in 1833
Francis Felix, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1847 3
Gustav Adolph Felix, who landed in New York, NY in 1852 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Felix migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Felix Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Catharina Felix, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1757
Isaac Felix, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
Maria Felix, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1757
Philip Felix, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757

Felix migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Felix Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Felix Felix, (b. 1812), aged 24, British cook who was convicted in Cape of Good Hope, South Africa for 10 years for house breaking, transported aboard the "Eden" on 27th August 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4

Felix migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Felix Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Felix, American settler travelling from San Francisco aboard the ship "Dakota" arriving in Port Chalmers, South Island, New Zealand on 11th January 1873 5
Mrs. Felix, American settler travelling from San Francisco aboard the ship "Dakota" arriving in Port Chalmers, South Island, New Zealand on 11th January 1873 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Felix (post 1700) +

Susan Duhan Felix (1937-2023), American ceramic artist who was well known for creating ceramics using pit firing
Allyson Felix (b. 1985), American Olympic track and field athlete who won four gold and two silver at the 2004, 2008, and 2012 games
Paul Felix, American politician, Mayor of Kenner, Louisiana, 1916-20 6
Otis L. Felix, American politician, Member of Virgin Islands legislature, 1975-78 6
Louis E. Felix, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from New York County 9th District, 1921 6
John Henry Felix, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Hawaii, 2008 6
John A. Felix, American Republican politician, Candidate for Pennsylvania State House of Representatives 9th District, 1980 6
Fanette L. Felix, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Massachusetts, 2000 6
Dennis J. Felix Sr., American politician, Candidate in primary for Mayor of Warren, Michigan, 1995 6
David H. H. Felix, American politician, Candidate for Pennsylvania State Senate 6th District, 1934; Candidate for U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, 1938, 1940 6
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th October 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html