NameCensus.

UK surname

Fisk

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a fishing spot or on a fish-shaped piece of land.

In the 1881 census there were 1,580 people recorded with the Fisk surname, ranking it #2,681 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,114, ranked #3,057, down from #2,681 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ipswich St Mary Stoke and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney, Ipswich and Suffolk Coastal.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fisk is 2,181 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.8%.

1881 census count

1,580

Ranked #2,681

Modern count

2,114

2016, ranked #3,057

Peak year

2010

2,181 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fisk had 1,580 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,681 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,114 in 2016, ranked #3,057.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,050 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fisk surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fisk surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fisk 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 1,131 #2,494
1861 historical 804 #3,418
1881 historical 1,580 #2,681
1891 historical 1,573 #2,824
1901 historical 1,917 #2,751
1911 historical 2,050 #2,435
1997 modern 2,126 #2,904
1998 modern 2,152 #2,974
1999 modern 2,135 #3,020
2000 modern 2,156 #2,974
2001 modern 2,149 #2,927
2002 modern 2,159 #2,972
2003 modern 2,116 #2,963
2004 modern 2,095 #2,991
2005 modern 2,084 #2,960
2006 modern 2,095 #2,961
2007 modern 2,085 #2,999
2008 modern 2,098 #3,004
2009 modern 2,146 #3,020
2010 modern 2,181 #3,044
2011 modern 2,160 #3,028
2012 modern 2,119 #3,020
2013 modern 2,152 #3,028
2014 modern 2,167 #3,028
2015 modern 2,141 #3,030
2016 modern 2,114 #3,057

Geography

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Where Fisks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ipswich St Mary Stoke 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 Waveney, Ipswich, Suffolk Coastal and Babergh. 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 Ipswich St Mary Stoke Suffolk
4 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 015 Waveney
2 Ipswich 016 Ipswich
3 Suffolk Coastal 010 Suffolk Coastal
4 Babergh 011 Babergh
5 Suffolk Coastal 008 Suffolk Coastal

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fisk

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fisk

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Fisk is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Fisk 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

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

Meaning and origin of Fisk

The surname Fisk originates from England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "fisc", meaning fish. This name was likely initially given as an occupational surname to someone who caught or sold fish for a living.

One of the earliest records of the Fisk surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1199, where a person named Willelmus Fisk is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also include entries for individuals with this last name in counties like Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

The Fisk surname is believed to have originated in the coastal regions of eastern England, where fishing was a common occupation. It later spread to other parts of the country as families migrated. Similar spellings found in historical records include Fiske, Fyshe, and Fysk.

In the 13th century, a person named Roger Fisk is recorded as being a tenant in the manor of Ashwell, Hertfordshire. During the reign of King Edward I (1272-1307), a John Fisk served as a member of parliament for the borough of Maldon in Essex.

One notable bearer of the Fisk surname was John Fisk (1601-1677), an influential Puritan minister and one of the founders of the town of Wenham, Massachusetts. He was born in Suffolk, England, and emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1637.

Another prominent individual with this last name was James Fisk Jr. (1835-1872), an American businessman and stockbroker infamous for his involvement in the Erie Railway financial scandal. He was born in Bennington, Vermont and was known for his flamboyant lifestyle.

In the field of literature, the name Fisk is associated with Wilbur Fisk (1792-1839), a renowned American educator and Methodist minister who served as the first president of Wesleyan University in Connecticut.

Other notable figures throughout history include John Fisk (1743-1825), an American Revolutionary War soldier and one of the founders of Tennessee, and Fidelia Fisk (1816-1864), an American missionary and educator who established one of the first schools for girls in Persia (present-day Iran).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fisk families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fisk 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. Suffolk leads with 590 Fisks recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.39x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 590 31.39x
Middlesex 260 1.68x
Norfolk 152 6.41x
Surrey 103 1.37x
Essex 70 2.30x
Kent 59 1.12x
Lancashire 59 0.32x
Yorkshire 56 0.37x
Sussex 31 1.19x
Durham 30 0.65x
Hampshire 23 0.73x
Cambridgeshire 18 1.84x
Cornwall 14 0.80x
Glamorgan 13 0.48x
Buckinghamshire 11 1.18x
Lincolnshire 11 0.45x
Cheshire 9 0.26x
Hertfordshire 9 0.85x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.43x
Monmouthshire 8 0.72x
Warwickshire 8 0.21x
Leicestershire 7 0.41x
Midlothian 6 0.29x
Northamptonshire 5 0.34x
Berkshire 4 0.35x
Staffordshire 4 0.08x
Gloucestershire 3 0.10x
Devon 2 0.06x
Wiltshire 2 0.15x
Denbighshire 1 0.17x
Northumberland 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.10x
Renfrewshire 1 0.08x
Royal Navy 1 0.54x
Worcestershire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lowestoft in Suffolk leads with 37 Fisks recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.67x.

Place Total Index
Lowestoft 37 41.67x
Great Yarmouth 35 17.81x
Dennington 31 743.41x
Brighton 25 4.76x
Lambeth 25 1.86x
Heigham 24 18.84x
Eyke 23 1144.28x
Gislingham 22 753.42x
Barsham 21 1304.35x
Hackney London 21 2.43x
Islington London 21 1.40x
Kensington London 21 2.45x
Ipswich St Margaret 20 31.36x
West Ham 20 2.97x
Badingham 19 533.71x
Beccles 19 62.81x
Charsfield 19 837.00x
Gorleston 17 35.60x
Ipswich St Clement 17 35.58x
Leiston 16 123.93x
Covehithe 15 1648.35x
Bermondsey 14 3.05x
Blythburgh 14 321.84x
St Luke London 14 5.66x
Battersea 13 2.29x
Newington 13 2.28x
St George Hanover Square 13 4.78x
Stowmarket 13 59.85x
Swansea Town 13 5.90x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 12 21.61x
Westminster St John 12 6.39x
Westoe 12 4.61x
Woodbridge 12 49.94x
Greenwich 11 4.48x
Hollesley 11 404.41x
Lavenham 11 111.90x
Shoreditch London 11 1.64x
St Pancras London 11 0.89x
Streatham 11 9.61x
Swinefleet 11 166.67x
Tottenham 11 4.48x
Westleton 11 249.43x
Framlingham 10 74.96x
Ipswich St Mary At Tower 10 239.81x
Pendleton In Salford 10 4.58x
St Martin In Fields 10 10.82x
St Marylebone London 10 1.21x
Hampstead London 9 3.74x
Ipswich St Nicholas 9 86.96x
Isleworth 9 13.12x
Mile End Old Town London 9 2.74x
Nacton 9 329.67x
Nottingham St Mary 9 1.67x
Paddington London 9 1.59x
Rickinghall Superior 9 299.00x
Stoke Newington London 9 7.49x
Brixton 8 306.51x
Great Coggeshall 8 50.51x
Great Melton 8 481.93x
Hethersett 8 133.33x
Histon 8 156.25x
Ipswich St Peter 8 31.62x
Mutford 8 382.78x
Pendleton In Clitheroe 8 115.44x
Soothill 8 14.48x
Sotherton 8 842.11x
Southampton St Mary 8 4.02x
St Albans 8 36.70x
St Swithin Lincoln 8 20.62x
Twickenham 8 12.09x
Westminster St Margaret 8 10.75x
Yoxford 8 142.86x
Attleborough 7 58.38x
Farnworth 7 6.38x
Great Bolton 7 2.89x
Kennythorpe 7 2692.31x
Kirkley 7 44.50x
Little Meolse 7 143.74x
Thorndon All Sts 7 207.10x
Whalley 7 26.23x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 101
John 63
George 60
James 55
Charles 43
Henry 36
Arthur 34
Robert 22
Alfred 21
Samuel 21
Thomas 19
Edward 18
Frederick 15
Herbert 15
Harry 14
Joseph 14
Albert 13
Walter 13
Ernest 11
David 7
Benjamin 6
Edgar 6
Francis 6
Fredrick 6
Sidney 6
Frank 4
Frederic 4
Horace 4
Isaac 4
Richard 4
Amos 3
Anthony 3
Leonard 3
Thos. 3
Bertram 2
Christopher 2
Edwin 2
Elijah 2
Lewis 2
Robt. 2
Sydney 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Bazel 1
Ben 1
Cornelious 1
Dennis 1
E. 1
Earnest 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Fisk surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fisk surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,580 people were recorded with the Fisk surname. That placed it at #2,681 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fisk surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,114 in 2016. That gives Fisk a modern rank of #3,057.

What does the Fisk surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a fishing spot or on a fish-shaped piece of land.

What does the Fisk map show?

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