NameCensus.

UK surname

Fifer

A surname referring to someone who played the fife, a small flute-like musical instrument.

In the 1881 census there were 13 people recorded with the Fifer surname, ranking it #31,761 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 101, ranked #30,929, up from #31,761 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, Harrow and Blackpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fifer is 114 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 676.9%.

1881 census count

13

Ranked #31,761

Modern count

101

2016, ranked #30,929

Peak year

1998

114 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fifer had 13 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,761 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016, ranked #30,929.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 66 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Fifer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fifer surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fifer 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 5 #33,418
1881 historical 13 #31,761
1891 historical 24 #32,320
1901 historical 60 #27,502
1911 historical 66 #26,249
1997 modern 106 #26,057
1998 modern 114 #25,589
1999 modern 112 #26,044
2000 modern 112 #25,978
2001 modern 111 #25,767
2002 modern 111 #26,291
2003 modern 105 #26,940
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 104 #27,369
2006 modern 100 #28,283
2007 modern 104 #28,020
2008 modern 98 #29,355
2009 modern 98 #29,906
2010 modern 99 #30,397
2011 modern 98 #30,384
2012 modern 104 #29,543
2013 modern 105 #29,916
2014 modern 104 #30,365
2015 modern 104 #30,269
2016 modern 101 #30,929

Geography

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Where Fifers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, Harrow, Blackpool, Waltham Forest and Herefordshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 005 East Devon
2 Harrow 001 Harrow
3 Blackpool 018 Blackpool
4 Waltham Forest 011 Waltham Forest
5 Herefordshire 020 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fifer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fifer

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Fifer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Fifer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Fifer is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Fifer is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fifer falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fifer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Fifer

The surname Fifer is of Scottish origin, deriving from the occupation of a fifer or piper, an important role in medieval times. It is believed to have originated in the late 14th century or early 15th century.

The name is derived from the Old English word "fyfer" or "fyfere", which referred to a player of the fife, a small high-pitched flute commonly used in military and ceremonial contexts. The fife was often played alongside drums to signal commands and rallying calls.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fifer can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the late 15th century, where a "John Fifer" is mentioned as receiving payment for his services as a piper in the royal court.

In the 16th century, the name Fifer appears in various records across Scotland, including the Burgh Records of Aberdeen and the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland. This suggests that individuals with this surname were present in both urban and rural areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Fifer throughout history include:

1. Robert Fifer (c. 1540 - 1612), a Scottish clergyman and reformer who played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation.

2. James Fifer (1760 - 1836), a Scottish soldier and piper who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars.

3. William Fifer (1857 - 1944), an American politician and lawyer who served as the 16th Governor of Illinois from 1889 to 1893.

4. George Fifer (1871 - 1954), a Scottish-born American baseball player who played for several Major League Baseball teams in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

5. Margaret Fifer (1914 - 2011), a Scottish artist and sculptor known for her portraits and public art installations.

The name Fifer has also been associated with various place names, particularly in Scotland, such as Fife and Fifeshire, which may have contributed to the development and spread of the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fifer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fifer 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 12 Fifers recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.46x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 12 9.46x
Kent 1 2.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mile End Old Town London in Middlesex leads with 10 Fifers recorded in 1881 and an index of 370.37x.

Place Total Index
Mile End Old Town London 10 370.37x
Ealing 2 176.99x
Canterbury St Mary 1 344.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 2
Ann 1
Esther 1
Jane 1
Leah 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 1
Frank 1
Israel 1
John 1
Saul 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Fifer households.

FAQ

Fifer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fifer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 13 people were recorded with the Fifer surname. That placed it at #31,761 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fifer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016. That gives Fifer a modern rank of #30,929.

What does the Fifer surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who played the fife, a small flute-like musical instrument.

What does the Fifer map show?

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