NameCensus.

UK surname

Fischer

An occupational surname referring to a fisherman or one who catches or sells fish.

In the 1881 census there were 231 people recorded with the Fischer surname, ranking it #11,722 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 949, ranked #6,049, up from #11,722 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hackney, Central Bedfordshire and Oxford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fischer is 964 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 310.8%.

1881 census count

231

Ranked #11,722

Modern count

949

2016, ranked #6,049

Peak year

2014

964 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fischer had 231 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,722 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 949 in 2016, ranked #6,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 488 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Fischer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fischer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fischer 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 51 #24,096
1861 historical 76 #24,114
1881 historical 231 #11,722
1891 historical 343 #9,994
1901 historical 472 #8,407
1911 historical 488 #7,980
1997 modern 642 #7,729
1998 modern 703 #7,455
1999 modern 754 #7,125
2000 modern 731 #7,251
2001 modern 714 #7,250
2002 modern 756 #7,069
2003 modern 737 #7,103
2004 modern 739 #7,105
2005 modern 745 #7,002
2006 modern 761 #6,903
2007 modern 779 #6,839
2008 modern 815 #6,640
2009 modern 826 #6,710
2010 modern 890 #6,446
2011 modern 886 #6,393
2012 modern 912 #6,191
2013 modern 928 #6,204
2014 modern 964 #6,052
2015 modern 955 #6,046
2016 modern 949 #6,049

Geography

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Where Fischers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Manchester and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hackney, Central Bedfordshire, Oxford and Camden. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hackney 003 Hackney
2 Central Bedfordshire 032 Central Bedfordshire
3 Oxford 008 Oxford
4 Camden 018 Camden
5 Hackney 001 Hackney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fischer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fischer

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Fischer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Fischer 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Fischer 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

Fischer is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fischer falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fischer 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Fischer

The surname Fischer is of German origin, deriving from the Middle High German word "vischer," meaning fisherman. It first emerged in regions of Germany where fishing was a common occupation, such as along the rivers and coasts.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fischer can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Silesiae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Silesia, dating back to the 13th century. The name was spelled "Vischer" at the time.

In the 14th century, the surname Fischer appeared in various town records and chronicles across German-speaking areas. For instance, a certain Hans Fischer was mentioned in the municipal records of the city of Nuremberg in 1365.

During the Middle Ages, many individuals with the surname Fischer were likely involved in the fishing trade or lived in close proximity to bodies of water. However, as surnames became hereditary, the name was passed down through generations, even if the family's occupation changed.

One notable bearer of the name was Johann Fischer, a German composer and music theorist who lived from 1646 to 1716. He was known for his contributions to the development of the thorough-bass system, which was a crucial step in the evolution of modern harmonic theory.

Another prominent figure was Paul Fischer, a German architect and urban planner who lived from 1835 to 1900. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Berlin, including the Reichstag building, which houses the German parliament.

In the 19th century, the surname Fischer was also associated with the Fischer von Erlach family, a renowned Austrian family of architects and sculptors. Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach (1656-1723) was a celebrated Baroque architect who designed numerous churches and palaces in Vienna.

Additionally, the name Fischer has been linked to several places throughout Germany, such as the town of Fischern in Bavaria, which likely derived its name from the profession of fishing.

Over the centuries, the surname Fischer has been found across various German-speaking regions, including Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Eastern Europe where German communities settled. It remains a common surname in these areas today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fischer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fischer 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 66 Fischers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.92x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 66 2.92x
Surrey 26 2.36x
Kent 20 2.59x
Lancashire 20 0.74x
Stirlingshire 16 19.17x
Yorkshire 15 0.67x
Midlothian 11 3.63x
Durham 7 1.04x
Lanarkshire 6 0.82x
Cambridgeshire 5 3.49x
Fife 5 3.73x
Worcestershire 5 1.69x
Sussex 4 1.05x
Essex 3 0.67x
Flintshire 3 4.93x
Warwickshire 3 0.53x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.46x
Cumberland 2 1.03x
Dorset 2 1.35x
Glamorgan 2 0.51x
Hampshire 2 0.43x
Devon 1 0.21x
Lincolnshire 1 0.28x
Monmouthshire 1 0.61x
Norfolk 1 0.29x
Northumberland 1 0.30x
Royal Navy 1 3.71x
Suffolk 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deptford St Paul in Kent leads with 9 Fischers recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.11x.

Place Total Index
Deptford St Paul 9 15.11x
Liverpool 9 5.52x
Bethnal Green London 7 7.12x
Falkirk 7 35.82x
Islington London 7 3.19x
St Pancras London 7 3.84x
Camberwell 6 4.15x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 14.06x
Hackney London 6 4.73x
Huddersfield 6 18.37x
Lewisham 6 14.57x
South Leith 6 17.59x
Airth 5 471.70x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 4.10x
Govan 5 2.76x
St Leonards 5 833.33x
St Marylebone London 5 4.14x
Walton On Hill 5 1041.67x
Walton On Thames 5 98.81x
Whitechapel London 5 22.41x
Bothkennar 4 160.64x
Bromley 4 33.98x
Bromley London 4 8.03x
Claines 4 49.32x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 4 64.00x
Horton In Bradford 4 11.42x
Kensington London 4 3.18x
Lambeth 4 2.03x
Mile End Old Town London 4 8.31x
Stranton 4 17.65x
Chelsea London 3 4.40x
Darlington 3 11.54x
Hawarden Saltney 3 352.94x
Middlesbrough 3 10.27x
Paddington London 3 3.61x
Rusholme 3 41.90x
St George Hanover Square 3 7.52x
Battersea 2 2.40x
Brighton 2 2.60x
Cardiff St Mary 2 9.22x
Clapham 2 7.07x
Croydon 2 3.27x
Great Crosby 2 27.32x
Millom 2 33.50x
Shanklin 2 144.93x
St George In East London 2 9.40x
Walthamstow 2 12.44x
Weston Underwood 2 740.74x
Abergavenny 1 16.31x
Beckenham 1 9.91x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 2.19x
Edgbaston 1 5.65x
Glasgow 1 0.77x
Great Grimsby 1 4.36x
Great Malvern 1 16.21x
Hampstead London 1 2.84x
Hove 1 5.97x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 12.95x
Leigh 1 322.58x
Manningham 1 3.62x
Newcastle On Tyne 1 277.78x
Poplar London 1 2.34x
Rugby 1 12.95x
Shaftesbury Holy Trinity 1 129.87x
Sidlesham 1 136.99x
St Anne Soho London 1 7.74x
St Peter Cornhill London 1 1000.00x
St Stephen Coleman Street 1 126.58x
Swaffham 1 35.34x
Tawstock 1 119.05x
Tottenham 1 2.77x
Warwick St Nicholas 1 23.87x
West Ham 1 1.01x
Wisbech St Peter 1 13.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Jane 4
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Elizabeth 3
Florence 3
Adeline 2
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Anna 2
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Helena 2
Maria 2
Marie 2
Martha 2
Sarah 2
Theresa 2
Auguste 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Celene 1
Dora 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elise 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emilienne 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Eugenie 1
Helene 1
Henrietta 1
Hermine 1
Isabella 1
J.S. 1
Josephine 1
Kate 1
Katherina 1
Katie 1
Letty 1
Lilla 1
Lina 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
M. 1
Valentina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 9
Frederick 6
August 5
George 4
Henry 4
John 4
William 4
Richard 3
Ferdinand 2
Gustav 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Max 2
Robert 2
Carl 1
Christian 1
Conrad 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Emil 1
Ernest 1
Fredrick 1
Fritz 1
Gottfried 1
Gustave 1
H.F. 1
Harold 1
Heinrich 1
Henrich 1
Hermann 1
Hermon 1
Jacot 1
Jacques 1
Jean 1
Jens 1
Johannes 1
Joseph 1
Julius 1
Kaspar 1
Leopold 1
Louis 1
Ludwig 1
Maximilian 1
Oswald 1
Otto 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Rowland 1
Rudolf 1
T. 1

FAQ

Fischer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fischer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 231 people were recorded with the Fischer surname. That placed it at #11,722 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fischer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 949 in 2016. That gives Fischer a modern rank of #6,049.

What does the Fischer surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a fisherman or one who catches or sells fish.

What does the Fischer map show?

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