NameCensus.

UK surname

Fifield

From the open land where cattle graze, derived from Old English elements meaning "five" and "field."

In the 1881 census there were 435 people recorded with the Fifield surname, ranking it #7,500 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 763, ranked #7,188, up from #7,500 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Mitcheldever and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include The Vale of Glamorgan, Cornwall and Maldon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fifield is 909 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 75.4%.

1881 census count

435

Ranked #7,500

Modern count

763

2016, ranked #7,188

Peak year

1999

909 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fifield had 435 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,500 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 763 in 2016, ranked #7,188.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 760 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fifield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fifield surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Fifield 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 279 #8,067
1861 historical 261 #9,481
1881 historical 435 #7,500
1891 historical 444 #8,149
1901 historical 650 #6,642
1911 historical 760 #5,687
1997 modern 845 #6,273
1998 modern 905 #6,135
1999 modern 909 #6,154
2000 modern 904 #6,159
2001 modern 861 #6,273
2002 modern 875 #6,312
2003 modern 854 #6,323
2004 modern 828 #6,485
2005 modern 795 #6,641
2006 modern 794 #6,671
2007 modern 810 #6,614
2008 modern 806 #6,705
2009 modern 789 #6,971
2010 modern 812 #6,930
2011 modern 801 #6,944
2012 modern 794 #6,874
2013 modern 817 #6,818
2014 modern 795 #7,037
2015 modern 773 #7,134
2016 modern 763 #7,188

Geography

Back to top

Where Fifields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Mitcheldever, Portsmouth, Portsea and Hythe St Leonard, Cheriton, Newington, Saltwood, West Hythe, Burmarsh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to The Vale of Glamorgan, Cornwall, Maldon and Canterbury. 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 Mitcheldever Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Hythe St Leonard, Cheriton, Newington, Saltwood, West Hythe, Burmarsh Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 The Vale of Glamorgan 013 Vale of Glamorgan
2 Cornwall 030 Cornwall
3 Maldon 003 Maldon
4 Canterbury 003 Canterbury
5 Cornwall 064 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Fifield

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Fifield

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fifield, 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 Fifield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Fifield 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Fifield is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fifield is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fifield falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fifield is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Fifield

The surname Fifield is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "fyge" meaning fig tree, and "feld" meaning field or open land. It likely originated in the Middle Ages as a locational name given to someone who lived near a field or area where fig trees grew.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fifield can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "de Figefeld." This suggests that the name was already well-established by the 13th century.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several references to places with similar names, such as "Fige" in Warwickshire and "Fige-grava" in Gloucestershire, indicating the presence of fig trees or fig groves in those areas.

The name Fifield has been associated with various places throughout England, such as Fifield in Oxfordshire, Fifield Bavant in Wiltshire, and Fifield Neville in Shropshire. These place names likely contributed to the widespread use of the surname Fifield.

Notable individuals with the surname Fifield include:

1. Thomas Fifield (c. 1500-1567), an English Protestant reformer and clergyman during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 2. Sir John Fifield (1579-1642), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Shropshire in the early 17th century. 3. Anne Fifield (1633-1705), one of the first Quaker settlers in Rhode Island and a prominent advocate for religious freedom. 4. William Fifield (1767-1828), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Ohio. 5. Henry Fifield (1810-1891), an American architect and civil engineer known for designing several churches and public buildings in New England.

Throughout its history, the surname Fifield has undergone various spelling variations, including Fyfeld, Fyfelde, Feyfield, and Fyfeild, reflecting the changes in pronunciation and spelling conventions over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Fifield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fifield 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. Hampshire leads with 103 Fifields recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.82x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 103 11.82x
Surrey 69 3.33x
Middlesex 48 1.13x
Gloucestershire 43 5.16x
Kent 34 2.34x
Sussex 18 2.51x
Warwickshire 18 1.68x
Oxfordshire 17 6.47x
Worcestershire 11 1.98x
Berkshire 10 3.13x
Wiltshire 10 2.66x
Yorkshire 10 0.24x
Essex 9 1.07x
Northamptonshire 7 1.75x
Suffolk 7 1.35x
Hertfordshire 6 2.05x
Staffordshire 4 0.28x
Buckinghamshire 3 1.17x
Lancashire 3 0.06x
Somerset 2 0.29x
Cornwall 1 0.21x
Lincolnshire 1 0.15x
Norfolk 1 0.15x
Royal Navy 1 1.97x

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 27 Fifields recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.80x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 27 15.80x
Micheldever 22 1447.37x
Rotherhithe 18 34.25x
St George Hanover Square 13 17.35x
Croydon 12 10.43x
Kingston On Thames 11 22.10x
Wotton Under Edge 11 223.58x
Battersea 10 6.39x
Pudsey 10 44.39x
Stroud 10 61.61x
Barnes 8 91.32x
Charlbury 8 271.19x
Westminster St John 8 15.45x
Coleshill 7 203.49x
Deptford St Paul 7 6.25x
Edgbaston 7 21.05x
Greenwich 7 10.34x
Haresfield 7 843.37x
Haverhill 7 152.17x
Headley 7 295.36x
Kiddington 7 2058.82x
Liss 7 395.48x
Littleton 7 2500.00x
Mersham 7 666.67x
Swindon 7 24.00x
Chelsea London 6 4.68x
Greenham 6 377.36x
Harpenden 6 134.23x
Hove 6 19.07x
Kidderminster Foreign 6 76.43x
Abbotts Ann 5 510.20x
Barking 5 20.36x
Berkeley 5 107.76x
Church Oakley 5 1162.79x
Desborough 5 166.67x
St Mary Bourne 5 316.46x
St Pancras London 5 1.46x
Bermondsey 4 3.16x
Bourton On The Water 4 235.29x
Christchurch 4 21.16x
Portsmouth 4 19.93x
Rogate 4 277.78x
West Ham 4 2.16x
Birdham 3 441.18x
Burton Upon Trent 3 8.93x
Lower Booths 3 33.19x
Lympne 3 365.85x
Nether Whitacre 3 352.94x
Oldbury 3 10.98x
Richmond 3 10.33x
St Botolph Aldgate London 3 34.25x
Tottenham 3 4.43x
Westbury 3 34.17x
Hammersmith London 2 1.91x
Hythe St Leonard 2 38.99x
Lewisham 2 2.58x
Plumstead 2 4.13x
Poplar London 2 2.49x
Reading St Giles 2 6.39x
Southampton St John 2 224.72x
Trotton 2 338.98x
Wycombe 2 10.43x
Byfleet 1 54.35x
Canterbury St Mary 1 10.27x
Chaddleworth 1 166.67x
Farley Chamberlayne 1 434.78x
Hurst 1 2000.00x
Ibstone Stokenchurch 1 212.77x
Islington London 1 0.24x
Narford 1 476.19x
Newbury 1 9.78x
Portishead 1 19.65x
Powick 1 25.97x
Royal Navy 1 2.31x
Shoreditch London 1 0.54x
South Hamlet 1 19.38x
St Michael Winchester 1 56.18x
Stapleton 1 6.32x
Walcot 1 2.74x
Windlesham 1 25.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 16
Eliza 11
Emily 9
Sarah 9
Ann 8
Fanny 7
Charlotte 6
Ellen 6
Jane 6
Louisa 6
Alice 5
Caroline 5
Edith 5
Emma 5
Laura 5
Maria 5
Annie 4
Clara 3
Kate 3
Martha 3
Adelaide 2
Bessie 2
Lilian 2
Lucy 2
May 2
Mercy 2
Minnie 2
Susan 2
Amy 1
Anabella 1
Anne 1
Caraline 1
E...y 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Hester 1
Hope 1
Isabel 1
Lettia 1
Lettie 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 31
Charles 17
Henry 15
Thomas 14
John 12
James 11
George 9
Richard 9
Alfred 7
Edward 7
Robert 7
Arthur 6
Joseph 6
Edwin 5
Francis 5
Frederick 5
Albert 4
Ernest 4
Harry 4
Frank 3
Fred 3
Joshua 3
Walter 3
Aaron 2
Andrew 2
Fredrick 2
Geo.F. 2
Herbert 2
Jesse 2
Thos. 2
Arther 1
David 1
E.G. 1
Edgar 1
Frdk.Geo. 1
Fredk. 1
Frek.William 1
Gilbert 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Mark 1
Moses 1
Oliver 1
Philip 1
Reuben 1
Richd. 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Wm.Mark 1

FAQ

Fifield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fifield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 435 people were recorded with the Fifield surname. That placed it at #7,500 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fifield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 763 in 2016. That gives Fifield a modern rank of #7,188.

What does the Fifield surname mean?

From the open land where cattle graze, derived from Old English elements meaning "five" and "field."

What does the Fifield map show?

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