NameCensus.

UK surname

Fielding

An English toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near or worked in a field or pasture.

In the 1881 census there were 6,661 people recorded with the Fielding surname, ranking it #636 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,926, ranked #977, down from #636 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Glossop and Halifax. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton, Hyndburn and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fielding is 8,501 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.0%.

1881 census count

6,661

Ranked #636

Modern count

6,926

2016, ranked #977

Peak year

1911

8,501 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fielding had 6,661 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #636 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,926 in 2016, ranked #977.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,501 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Fielding surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fielding surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fielding 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 4,260 #665
1861 historical 4,030 #691
1881 historical 6,661 #636
1891 historical 7,120 #630
1901 historical 7,962 #672
1911 historical 8,501 #581
1997 modern 7,203 #902
1998 modern 7,442 #905
1999 modern 7,478 #909
2000 modern 7,467 #902
2001 modern 7,304 #903
2002 modern 7,417 #906
2003 modern 7,264 #907
2004 modern 7,213 #914
2005 modern 7,035 #923
2006 modern 7,032 #925
2007 modern 7,012 #932
2008 modern 7,017 #938
2009 modern 7,107 #952
2010 modern 7,250 #950
2011 modern 7,161 #946
2012 modern 6,968 #957
2013 modern 7,135 #955
2014 modern 7,141 #957
2015 modern 6,999 #970
2016 modern 6,926 #977

Geography

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Where Fieldings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Glossop, Halifax, Blackburn and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton, Hyndburn, Wiltshire and Rochdale. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Glossop Derbyshire
3 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 034 Bolton
2 Hyndburn 007 Hyndburn
3 Wiltshire 028 Wiltshire
4 Hyndburn 001 Hyndburn
5 Rochdale 018 Rochdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fielding

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fielding

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fielding, 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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Fielding is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fielding is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fielding falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fielding 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 Fielding, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fielding

The surname Fielding originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "feld," meaning a field or open area of land. The name was likely first adopted as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near or worked on a field.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Fielding can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a record of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "de Felding," indicating that some individuals were already using a locational surname based on their place of residence or land ownership.

Throughout the medieval period, the surname Fielding evolved into various spellings, including Feilding, Feylding, and Feyldyng. These variations reflect the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping at the time. The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Warwickshire, Staffordshire, and Derbyshire.

One notable figure with the surname Fielding was Raphael Holinshed (c. 1529-1580), an English chronicler and historian best known for his work "Holinshed's Chronicles," which was a major source for William Shakespeare's plays. The Fielding family also produced several notable writers, including Henry Fielding (1707-1754), the author of the novel "The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling," and his sister, Sarah Fielding (1710-1768), a novelist and playwright.

Another prominent individual with this surname was William Fielding (1587-1677), who served as the Earl of Denbigh and was a prominent military commander during the English Civil War. He played a significant role in the Parliamentarian cause and was known for his bravery in battle.

In the 18th century, the Fielding family established themselves as a prominent noble family in England. Basil Fielding, 2nd Earl of Denbigh (1665-1719), was a notable figure in this era, serving as a member of the Privy Council and holding various political and military positions.

The surname Fielding has also been associated with place names in England, such as Fielding, a village in Bedfordshire, and Fielding, a hamlet in Warwickshire. These locations likely derived their names from the surname or vice versa, reflecting the close connection between surnames and geographic locations in England's history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fielding families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fielding 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. Lancashire leads with 3,658 Fieldings recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.73x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3,658 4.73x
Yorkshire 975 1.51x
Middlesex 263 0.40x
Derbyshire 245 2.40x
Cheshire 181 1.26x
Warwickshire 126 0.77x
Staffordshire 125 0.57x
Surrey 114 0.36x
Leicestershire 97 1.34x
Kent 89 0.40x
Wiltshire 77 1.33x
Lincolnshire 61 0.58x
Durham 59 0.30x
Northamptonshire 52 0.85x
Northumberland 48 0.49x
Norfolk 46 0.46x
Nottinghamshire 44 0.50x
Glamorgan 38 0.33x
Gloucestershire 34 0.27x
Essex 33 0.26x
Hampshire 32 0.24x
Devon 27 0.20x
Worcestershire 23 0.27x
Somerset 22 0.21x
Isle of Man 14 1.16x
Channel Islands 13 0.67x
Hertfordshire 13 0.29x
Huntingdonshire 13 1.00x
Midlothian 13 0.15x
Sussex 12 0.11x
Buckinghamshire 11 0.28x
Monmouthshire 11 0.23x
Shropshire 11 0.20x
Cornwall 10 0.14x
Renfrewshire 10 0.20x
Berkshire 9 0.18x
Brecknockshire 8 0.61x
Flintshire 7 0.40x
Lanarkshire 6 0.03x
Suffolk 6 0.08x
Aberdeenshire 5 0.08x
Angus 5 0.08x
Carmarthenshire 5 0.18x
Royal Navy 5 0.64x
Ayrshire 4 0.08x
Denbighshire 3 0.12x
Dorset 3 0.07x
Westmorland 3 0.21x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.08x
Caithness 2 0.22x
Cumberland 2 0.04x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.14x
Oxfordshire 2 0.05x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.10x
Anglesey 1 0.09x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.06x
Herefordshire 1 0.04x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.07x
Ross-shire 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. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 266 Fieldings recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.65x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 266 10.65x
Blackburn 234 11.36x
Butterworth 168 89.10x
Glossop Dale 147 30.74x
Spotland 141 16.39x
Castleton 123 15.91x
Ashton Under Lyne 122 7.21x
Little Bolton 110 11.05x
Crompton 106 48.09x
Wardleworth 101 22.84x
Manchester 100 2.87x
Newchurch 94 14.85x
Wuerdle Wardle 92 39.16x
Elland Cum Greetland 91 31.26x
Over Darwen 75 12.13x
Great Bolton 72 7.02x
Accrington 70 9.95x
Halifax 67 7.06x
Preston 65 3.14x
Oswaldtwistle 63 23.04x
Middleton In Oldham 61 26.29x
Dukinfield 60 9.02x
Clayton Le Moors 57 37.96x
Birmingham 56 1.02x
Radcliffe 56 15.01x
Saddleworth 52 10.43x
Great Harwood 44 31.45x
Salford 42 1.85x
Farnworth 41 8.84x
Heptonstall 41 45.21x
Layton With Warbreck 40 14.08x
Newton 40 6.71x
Barton Upon Irwell 39 6.69x
Hulme 37 2.29x
Chorlton On Medlock 36 2.93x
Leeds 36 0.99x
Burnley 35 5.37x
Golcar 35 20.48x
Soyland 34 43.85x
Gorton 33 4.54x
Islington London 31 0.49x
Blatchinworth 30 17.02x
Chadderton 30 7.93x
Skircoat 30 11.77x
Aston 29 0.64x
Leicester St Margaret 29 1.64x
North Meols 29 3.83x
Broughton In Salford 28 3.96x
Darley 28 67.86x
Kearsley 28 17.19x
Liverpool 28 0.60x
Aspull 27 14.83x
Erringden 27 64.67x
Bradford 26 1.66x
Ovenden 26 9.04x
Droylsden 25 9.90x
Ecclesall Bierlow 25 1.90x
Halliwell 25 8.88x
Bury 24 2.71x
Marple 24 24.28x
Rochdale 24 42.52x
Thornton In Bradford 24 11.16x
Hyde 23 5.41x
Paulerspury 22 86.38x
Tonge 22 13.55x
Bingley 21 5.10x
Huddersfield 21 2.23x
Kensington London 21 0.58x
Toxteth Park 21 0.80x
Witton 21 21.57x
Cheetham 20 3.46x
Wigan 20 1.85x
Amington Stonydelph 19 132.77x
Stone 19 6.75x
Bow London 18 2.17x
Pilkington 18 6.12x
Roade 18 112.01x
Royton 18 7.60x
Turton 18 14.20x
Blackley 17 12.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 557
Sarah 323
Elizabeth 256
Ann 170
Alice 156
Hannah 110
Jane 108
Ellen 107
Emma 92
Margaret 86
Martha 85
Eliza 77
Annie 59
Ada 50
Emily 49
Betty 47
Clara 41
Florence 34
Catherine 32
Fanny 30
Esther 29
Isabella 26
Louisa 25
Maria 24
Harriet 23
Agnes 22
Betsy 22
Amelia 21
Charlotte 21
Ruth 21
Susannah 21
Edith 20
Frances 20
Lucy 19
Nancy 19
Bertha 18
Rachel 16
Anne 14
Kate 14
Selina 14
Sophia 14
Gertrude 13
Grace 11
Susan 11
Amy 10
Elizth. 10
Harriett 10
Lilly 10
Ethel 9
Minnie 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 460
William 324
James 317
Thomas 215
Joseph 138
George 132
Henry 115
Robert 89
Samuel 78
Charles 76
Albert 55
Edward 48
Arthur 45
Richard 45
Walter 43
Harry 35
Abraham 32
Eli 32
Frederick 32
Alfred 31
Fred 26
Benjamin 24
Ernest 23
Wm. 23
Francis 22
Frank 22
Herbert 21
Daniel 19
Edwin 19
Joshua 16
David 14
Thos. 14
Isaac 13
Jonathan 13
Harold 12
Tom 12
Edmund 11
Jas. 11
Jacob 10
Peter 10
Stephen 10
Joe 9
Jeremiah 8
Percy 8
Geo. 7
Andrew 6
Christopher 6
Elijah 6
Patrick 6
Willie 6

FAQ

Fielding surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fielding surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,661 people were recorded with the Fielding surname. That placed it at #636 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fielding surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,926 in 2016. That gives Fielding a modern rank of #977.

What does the Fielding surname mean?

An English toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near or worked in a field or pasture.

What does the Fielding map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Fielding 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.