NameCensus.

UK surname

Fielder

An occupational surname referring to a person who works in or manages fields or farms.

In the 1881 census there were 1,844 people recorded with the Fielder surname, ranking it #2,364 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,085, ranked #3,102, down from #2,364 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southampton, Eastleigh and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fielder is 2,492 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.1%.

1881 census count

1,844

Ranked #2,364

Modern count

2,085

2016, ranked #3,102

Peak year

1911

2,492 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fielder had 1,844 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,364 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,085 in 2016, ranked #3,102.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,492 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fielder surname distribution map

The map shows where the Fielder surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Fielder surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Fielder over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 1,171 #2,413
1861 historical 980 #2,837
1881 historical 1,844 #2,364
1891 historical 1,885 #2,438
1901 historical 2,371 #2,289
1911 historical 2,492 #2,066
1997 modern 2,191 #2,832
1998 modern 2,244 #2,870
1999 modern 2,247 #2,882
2000 modern 2,201 #2,922
2001 modern 2,164 #2,909
2002 modern 2,178 #2,946
2003 modern 2,102 #2,979
2004 modern 2,122 #2,956
2005 modern 2,032 #3,042
2006 modern 2,052 #3,017
2007 modern 2,061 #3,039
2008 modern 2,099 #3,002
2009 modern 2,126 #3,043
2010 modern 2,154 #3,071
2011 modern 2,132 #3,063
2012 modern 2,115 #3,029
2013 modern 2,144 #3,043
2014 modern 2,148 #3,060
2015 modern 2,108 #3,082
2016 modern 2,085 #3,102

Geography

Back to top

Where Fielders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea, Lambeth and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Southampton, Eastleigh, East Riding of Yorkshire and Test Valley. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southampton 028 Southampton
2 Eastleigh 009 Eastleigh
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 040 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 037 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Test Valley 012 Test Valley

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Fielder

These lists show first names that appear often with the Fielder surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Fielder

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fielder, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Fielder surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Fielder household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Fielder is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fielder is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fielder falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fielder is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Fielder, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fielder

The surname Fielder originated in England in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words 'feld' and 'dor', which together mean 'field door' or a door that leads to a field. This surname was likely given to someone who lived near a door or gate that opened onto a field.

One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname comes from the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1221, which mentions a William le Feldere. The Pipe Rolls were a record of financial accounts kept by the English Exchequer. This early spelling variation, Feldere, highlights the evolving nature of surnames during the medieval period.

The Fielder name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners and their holdings. This document includes entries for a William le Felder in Norfolk and a John le Felder in Oxfordshire, further solidifying the surname's English roots.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various manorial records and court rolls across England. For example, a John Felder is documented in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1317. Similarly, a Richard Felder is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327.

Notable individuals bearing the Fielder surname throughout history include Sir Ralph de Felder (c. 1280-1345), a prominent landowner and knight from Hertfordshire. Another notable figure was John Fielder (c. 1650-1719), an English mathematician and surveyor who produced one of the earliest maps of Cambridgeshire.

Other prominent Fielders include Edmund Fielder (1659-1728), an English clergyman and author; Sarah Fielding (1710-1768), an English author and sister of the famous novelist Henry Fielding; and Thomas Fielder (c. 1781-1856), an English landscape painter known for his picturesque views of English countryside.

While the Fielder surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement. However, its roots can be traced back to the medieval English countryside, where it was likely given to individuals who lived near a gate or door leading to a field.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Fielder families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fielder surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 414 Fielders recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.29x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 414 2.29x
Hampshire 400 10.81x
Sussex 241 7.92x
Kent 225 3.65x
Surrey 222 2.52x
Essex 54 1.52x
Yorkshire 53 0.30x
Lancashire 38 0.18x
Wiltshire 30 1.88x
Berkshire 28 2.07x
Somerset 19 0.65x
Gloucestershire 16 0.45x
Warwickshire 14 0.31x
Pembrokeshire 10 1.74x
Norfolk 9 0.32x
Derbyshire 8 0.28x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.64x
Cheshire 7 0.18x
Devon 7 0.19x
Channel Islands 5 0.94x
Durham 5 0.09x
Lincolnshire 5 0.17x
Worcestershire 5 0.21x
Brecknockshire 4 1.11x
Lanarkshire 4 0.07x
Glamorgan 3 0.10x
Royal Navy 3 1.40x
Cornwall 2 0.10x
Dorset 2 0.17x
Herefordshire 2 0.27x
Hertfordshire 2 0.16x
Perthshire 2 0.25x
Monmouthshire 1 0.08x
Northumberland 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.09x
Shropshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 51 Fielders recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.04x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 51 7.04x
Islington London 50 2.86x
Lambeth 41 2.61x
Brighton 39 6.35x
Southampton St Mary 37 15.91x
Tonbridge 34 15.31x
Titchfield 33 118.36x
Croydon 28 5.74x
Poplar London 27 7.93x
Bromley London 26 6.55x
Ealing 26 16.12x
Fulham London 24 9.17x
Newington 23 3.45x
Beckley 22 289.47x
Hackney London 22 2.17x
St Pancras London 22 1.51x
West Ham 22 2.80x
St Marylebone London 21 2.18x
Wisborough Green 21 205.48x
Bramshaw 20 426.44x
Kingston On Thames 20 9.47x
South Stoneham 20 24.93x
Ightham 19 245.48x
Limehouse London 19 9.59x
Alverstoke 17 12.70x
Dorking 17 28.79x
Battersea 16 2.41x
Horsham 16 27.07x
Waldron 15 180.94x
Clerkenwell London 14 3.29x
Isleworth 14 17.45x
Greenwich 13 4.53x
Hook 13 33.05x
Southampton All Sts 13 20.48x
Batheaston 12 120.60x
Bethnal Green London 12 1.53x
Birmingham 12 0.79x
Bramdean 12 740.74x
Buriton 12 168.54x
Michelmersh 12 167.36x
Sherfield English 12 685.71x
Walthamstow 12 9.36x
Cheltenham 11 4.03x
Farlington 11 145.70x
Shoreditch London 11 1.41x
Wokingham 11 35.58x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 2.14x
Camberwell 10 0.87x
Pembroke St Mary 10 13.54x
Romsey Extra 10 45.45x
Cobham 9 158.45x
Eastbourne 9 6.43x
Edmonton 9 6.19x
Hammersmith London 9 2.02x
Ifield 9 70.92x
Paddington London 9 1.36x
Queenborough 9 147.78x
St Thomas Winchester 9 34.46x
Beckenham 8 9.94x
Burwash 8 56.66x
Cranleigh 8 62.16x
Erith 8 13.19x
Gillingham 8 6.30x
Hornsey 8 3.51x
Mile End New Town London 8 22.43x
Millbrook 8 8.59x
Norton 8 34.36x
St Maurice Winchester 8 52.02x
Tottenham 8 2.78x
Wrotham 8 39.22x
Chelsea London 7 1.29x
Devizes St James 7 33.00x
Fareham 7 15.75x
Goodworth Clatford 7 225.81x
Ringmer 7 81.68x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 1.93x
St George In East London 7 4.12x
St Peter Cheesehill 7 133.84x
Westbury 7 18.79x
Wivelsfield 7 58.87x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Fielder surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 104
Elizabeth 62
Sarah 58
Ellen 45
Eliza 35
Emily 35
Jane 35
Alice 32
Emma 28
Ann 25
Kate 22
Annie 20
Caroline 19
Fanny 16
Louisa 15
Rose 15
Harriet 14
Florence 13
Sophia 13
Ada 12
Edith 12
Maria 12
Martha 12
Frances 11
Charlotte 10
Hannah 10
Harriett 10
Clara 9
Matilda 9
Mabel 7
Margaret 7
Bessie 6
Laura 6
Lydia 6
Rebecca 6
Ruth 6
Amy 5
Anne 5
Catherine 5
Esther 5
Eva 4
Isabella 4
Jessie 4
Julia 4
Lucy 4
Maud 4
Minnie 4
Susan 4
Susannah 4
Winifred 4

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Fielder surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 112
George 81
John 76
Henry 57
James 47
Charles 43
Thomas 38
Edward 34
Alfred 26
Frederick 25
Robert 20
Albert 19
Arthur 19
Frank 17
Walter 16
Ernest 14
Joseph 14
Harry 10
Edwin 8
Richard 8
Benjamin 6
David 6
Francis 6
Fredk. 6
Herbert 6
Sidney 6
Wm. 6
Chas. 4
Edgar 4
Horace 4
Samuel 4
Thos. 4
Archibald 3
Fred 3
Fredrick 3
Jesse 3
Jno. 3
Leonard 3
Oliver 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
Christopher 2
Geo. 2
Godfrey 2
Josiah 2
Lewis 2
Michael 2
Philip 2
Stephen 2
Sydney 2

FAQ

Fielder surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fielder surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,844 people were recorded with the Fielder surname. That placed it at #2,364 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fielder surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,085 in 2016. That gives Fielder a modern rank of #3,102.

What does the Fielder surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who works in or manages fields or farms.

What does the Fielder map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Fielder bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.