NameCensus.

UK surname

Fish

An occupational surname for a fisherman or fish seller.

In the 1881 census there were 5,580 people recorded with the Fish surname, ranking it #795 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,794, ranked #1,158, down from #795 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Bispham and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackburn with Darwen, North Lincolnshire and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fish is 7,443 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.8%.

1881 census count

5,580

Ranked #795

Modern count

5,794

2016, ranked #1,158

Peak year

1911

7,443 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fish had 5,580 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #795 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,794 in 2016, ranked #1,158.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,443 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fish surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fish surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fish 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 3,616 #787
1861 historical 3,869 #724
1881 historical 5,580 #795
1891 historical 6,110 #759
1901 historical 6,725 #821
1911 historical 7,443 #696
1997 modern 5,996 #1,093
1998 modern 6,124 #1,110
1999 modern 6,141 #1,116
2000 modern 6,051 #1,124
2001 modern 5,922 #1,125
2002 modern 6,021 #1,133
2003 modern 5,897 #1,126
2004 modern 5,833 #1,138
2005 modern 5,761 #1,131
2006 modern 5,754 #1,135
2007 modern 5,771 #1,138
2008 modern 5,792 #1,140
2009 modern 5,910 #1,140
2010 modern 5,932 #1,162
2011 modern 5,813 #1,169
2012 modern 5,697 #1,167
2013 modern 5,803 #1,165
2014 modern 5,854 #1,164
2015 modern 5,781 #1,166
2016 modern 5,794 #1,158

Geography

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Where Fishs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Bispham, Blackburn, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackburn with Darwen, North Lincolnshire and Barnsley. 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 3
2 Bispham Lancashire
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackburn with Darwen 010 Blackburn with Darwen
2 North Lincolnshire 019 North Lincolnshire
3 Blackburn with Darwen 014 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Barnsley 024 Barnsley
5 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fish

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fish

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Fish 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

Fish is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fish 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 Fish 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 Fish, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fish

The surname "FISH" is an English surname derived from the Old English word "fisc", which means "fish". It is an occupational surname that originated in England during the Middle Ages, likely referring to a person who caught or sold fish.

The name can be traced back to the 12th century, with early recorded instances found in various historical documents and records. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert le Fisshere, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1191.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholders in England compiled in 1086, does not include the surname "FISH" itself, but it does list several individuals with occupational names related to fishing, such as "Piscator" (Latin for "fisherman").

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings, including "le Fisschere", "le Fyssher", and "le Fisshere". These variations reflect the evolution of the English language and the different ways the name was recorded by scribes at the time.

Over the centuries, the surname "FISH" has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded was John Fish (c. 1435 - c. 1501), an English statesman and lawyer who served as the Keeper of the Privy Seal under King Henry VII.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Simon Fish (c. 1520 - c. 1531), an English Protestant reformer and author who wrote the influential pamphlet "A Supplication for the Beggars" in 1529, criticizing the wealth and corruption of the Catholic Church.

In the 17th century, John Fish (1625 - 1692) was an English minister who served as the rector of Wilby, Northamptonshire, and wrote several religious works.

The 18th century saw the rise of John Fish (1718 - 1795), an English painter and engraver known for his landscapes and topographical views.

In more recent history, Hamilton Fish III (1888 - 1991) was a notable American politician who served as a Representative and Senator from New York, as well as the 16th Governor of the state from 1949 to 1955.

While the surname "FISH" is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fish families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fish 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 1,852 Fishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.87x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,852 2.87x
Yorkshire 574 1.06x
Middlesex 556 1.02x
Norfolk 328 3.92x
Surrey 205 0.77x
Lincolnshire 185 2.13x
Northumberland 174 2.15x
Cheshire 173 1.44x
Essex 136 1.27x
Nottinghamshire 135 1.84x
Hertfordshire 126 3.36x
Durham 121 0.75x
Suffolk 115 1.74x
Kent 108 0.58x
Dorset 95 2.66x
Hampshire 93 0.83x
Derbyshire 89 1.04x
Sussex 77 0.84x
Somerset 69 0.79x
Gloucestershire 49 0.46x
Glamorgan 37 0.39x
Stirlingshire 36 1.79x
Lanarkshire 28 0.16x
Staffordshire 24 0.13x
Devon 19 0.17x
Northamptonshire 19 0.37x
Cornwall 16 0.26x
Worcestershire 14 0.20x
Warwickshire 13 0.09x
Cambridgeshire 12 0.35x
Berwickshire 11 1.67x
Monmouthshire 11 0.28x
Bedfordshire 9 0.32x
Berkshire 9 0.22x
Leicestershire 9 0.15x
Wiltshire 9 0.19x
Pembrokeshire 8 0.46x
Dumfriesshire 6 0.50x
Shropshire 5 0.11x
East Lothian 4 0.56x
Cardiganshire 3 0.23x
Brecknockshire 2 0.18x
Perthshire 2 0.08x
Anglesey 1 0.10x
Angus 1 0.02x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.03x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.05x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.04x
Cumberland 1 0.02x
Herefordshire 1 0.04x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.09x
Midlothian 1 0.01x
Renfrewshire 1 0.02x
Royal Navy 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Over Darwen in Lancashire leads with 448 Fishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 86.88x.

Place Total Index
Over Darwen 448 86.88x
Blackburn 151 8.79x
Layton With Warbreck 80 33.77x
Dukinfield 78 14.06x
Ashton Under Lyne 69 4.89x
Sawbridgeworth 67 118.00x
Hackney London 62 2.03x
Preston 52 3.01x
Holy Trinity 51 3.93x
Oldham 49 2.35x
Leeds 43 1.41x
Camberwell 42 1.21x
Cawthorne In Wortley 42 192.93x
Manchester 42 1.45x
Salford 42 2.21x
Islington London 41 0.78x
West Ham 40 1.69x
Little Bolton 39 4.70x
Bethnal Green London 37 1.57x
Sculcoates 37 4.33x
St Pancras London 37 0.84x
Basford 36 10.65x
Barrow In Furness 35 3.99x
Lambeth 35 0.74x
Wigan 34 3.77x
Lower Darwen 32 37.77x
Great Yarmouth 31 4.47x
Heigham 31 6.90x
Livesey 31 27.36x
Thornton In Fylde 31 21.95x
Southwark St George Martyr 30 2.74x
Mellor 29 141.95x
Sturminster 28 80.88x
Battersea 26 1.30x
Brightside Bierlow 26 2.46x
Mile End Old Town London 26 2.25x
Poplar London 26 2.53x
St Luke London 26 2.98x
Hindolveston 23 188.22x
Owston 23 93.16x
Pendleton In Salford 23 2.99x
Southampton St Mary 23 3.28x
Tottington Lower End 23 7.50x
St George Hanover Square 22 2.30x
Broughton In Salford 21 3.56x
Radstock 21 36.47x
Walthamstow 21 5.43x
Widford 21 220.36x
Bedlington 20 7.40x
Bromley London 20 1.67x
Chelsea London 20 1.22x
Glossop Dale 20 5.01x
Ilkeston 20 8.38x
Limehouse London 20 3.35x
Royton 20 10.13x
Stockton On Tees 20 2.56x
North Meols 19 3.01x
Paddington London 19 0.95x
Nottingham St Mary 18 0.95x
Oswaldtwistle 18 7.89x
Shoreditch London 18 0.76x
St Marylebone London 18 0.62x
West Derby 18 0.95x
Whittington 18 15.27x
Chorlton On Medlock 17 1.66x
Hammersmith London 17 1.27x
Hamworthy 17 136.66x
Stockport 17 2.75x
Turton 17 16.08x
Woodbridge 17 20.07x
Bury 16 2.17x
Everton 16 0.78x
Henfield 16 45.42x
Hunslet 16 1.90x
Norwich St James 16 24.38x
Reddish 16 17.99x
Snaith Cowick 16 49.63x
Southwark Christchurch 16 6.28x
Worsley 16 4.02x
Norton In Malton 15 22.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 371
Elizabeth 219
Sarah 208
Alice 128
Jane 120
Ann 111
Ellen 98
Hannah 76
Margaret 72
Annie 71
Eliza 66
Martha 63
Emma 62
Emily 44
Harriet 37
Maria 34
Edith 32
Ada 29
Caroline 29
Esther 27
Florence 27
Isabella 27
Charlotte 26
Louisa 26
Nancy 25
Susannah 23
Clara 22
Fanny 22
Frances 20
Amelia 19
Catherine 19
Kate 18
Susan 18
Rachel 17
Anne 15
Anna 14
Betsy 14
Betty 14
Eleanor 13
Lucy 13
Agnes 12
Jessie 12
Minnie 12
Sophia 12
Ethel 11
Laura 11
Rebecca 10
Harriett 9
Lilly 8
Ruth 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 330
William 322
George 208
James 208
Thomas 193
Charles 108
Robert 99
Joseph 93
Henry 84
Richard 59
Frederick 58
Edward 48
Alfred 46
Arthur 44
Samuel 40
Walter 39
Albert 32
Benjamin 29
Harry 29
Herbert 24
Ernest 23
Frank 21
Edwin 20
Wm. 19
Ralph 16
Peter 14
David 13
Lawrence 13
Thos. 13
Alexander 12
Nicholas 12
Andrew 10
Francis 10
Fredk. 9
Levi 9
Fred 8
Tom 7
Daniel 6
Isaac 6
Jabez 6
Matthew 6
Willie 6
Amos 5
Fish 5
Nathaniel 5
Philip 5
Sidney 5
Stephen 5
Mark 4
Solomon 4

FAQ

Fish surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fish surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,580 people were recorded with the Fish surname. That placed it at #795 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fish surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,794 in 2016. That gives Fish a modern rank of #1,158.

What does the Fish surname mean?

An occupational surname for a fisherman or fish seller.

What does the Fish map show?

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