NameCensus.

UK surname

Fiske

From an Old Norse nickname meaning "fish," likely referring to a fisherman or someone who lived near a fish market.

In the 1881 census there were 336 people recorded with the Fiske surname, ranking it #8,996 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 429, ranked #11,214, down from #8,996 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Beccles and Wrentham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Fenland and Basingstoke and Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fiske is 474 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.7%.

1881 census count

336

Ranked #8,996

Modern count

429

2016, ranked #11,214

Peak year

1998

474 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fiske had 336 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,996 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 429 in 2016, ranked #11,214.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 425 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fiske surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fiske surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fiske 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 149 #12,967
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 336 #8,996
1891 historical 344 #9,969
1901 historical 409 #9,338
1911 historical 425 #8,877
1997 modern 468 #9,769
1998 modern 474 #10,004
1999 modern 472 #10,083
2000 modern 468 #10,125
2001 modern 464 #10,002
2002 modern 467 #10,136
2003 modern 438 #10,507
2004 modern 432 #10,658
2005 modern 433 #10,516
2006 modern 421 #10,798
2007 modern 431 #10,703
2008 modern 424 #10,952
2009 modern 443 #10,821
2010 modern 437 #11,165
2011 modern 424 #11,314
2012 modern 412 #11,479
2013 modern 439 #11,052
2014 modern 430 #11,323
2015 modern 442 #10,977
2016 modern 429 #11,214

Geography

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Where Fiskes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Beccles, Wrentham, Carlton Colville 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 North Norfolk, Fenland, Basingstoke and Deane, Waveney and Burghead, Roseisle and Laich. 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 Beccles Suffolk
3 Wrentham Suffolk
4 Carlton Colville Suffolk
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 North Norfolk 010 North Norfolk
2 Fenland 004 Fenland
3 Basingstoke and Deane 015 Basingstoke and Deane
4 Waveney 010 Waveney
5 Burghead, Roseisle and Laich Moray

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fiske

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fiske

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

Fiske is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Fiske

The surname Fiske has its origins in England, derived from the Old English word "fisc," meaning "fish." It was likely an occupational surname given to someone who worked as a fisherman or fish monger.

The name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Fische" in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. This early record indicates that the name was present in East Anglia, an area known for its fishing industry.

In the 13th century, the name was found in various spellings, such as "Fisk," "Fisk," and "Fisshe," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that period.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was Robert Fiske, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

The name Fiske was also associated with several prominent individuals throughout history. One notable figure was William Fiske (1612-1676), who was one of the founders of the town of Wenham, Massachusetts, in the early days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Another prominent bearer of the name was John Fiske (1842-1901), an American philosopher, historian, and writer, best known for his works on American history and philosophy.

In the 19th century, the Fiske family gained prominence in the United States, with members such as Willard Fiske (1831-1904), a renowned scholar and book collector, whose collection formed the basis of the Fiske Icelandic Collection at Cornell University.

The name Fiske was also associated with a place name, Fiskedale, found in the Domesday Book as "Fiskedale" in Yorkshire, which likely contributed to the development of the surname in that region.

Other notable individuals with the surname Fiske include Thomas Fiske (1792-1846), an English playwright and novelist, and John Fiske (1776-1865), an American educator and founder of the Fiske Free Library in Wrentham, Massachusetts.

Throughout its history, the surname Fiske has maintained its connection to the occupation of fishing and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, leaving a lasting impact in their respective fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fiske families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fiske 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. Norfolk leads with 112 Fiskes recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.22x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 112 22.22x
Suffolk 109 27.30x
Middlesex 30 0.92x
Surrey 18 1.13x
Essex 14 2.16x
Kent 13 1.16x
Yorkshire 13 0.40x
Oxfordshire 5 2.47x
Devon 4 0.59x
Fife 3 1.55x
Lincolnshire 3 0.57x
Berkshire 2 0.81x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.01x
Gloucestershire 2 0.31x
Lancashire 2 0.05x
Sussex 2 0.36x
Anglesey 1 1.72x
Somerset 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stowmarket in Suffolk leads with 14 Fiskes recorded in 1881 and an index of 303.69x.

Place Total Index
Stowmarket 14 303.69x
Lakenham 13 181.56x
Loddon 12 923.08x
Wrentham 12 1081.08x
Ellingham 10 2631.58x
Bramford 9 600.00x
Carlton Colville 9 616.44x
Hintlesham 9 1406.25x
East Dereham 8 125.59x
Rainham 8 260.59x
Thorpe Next Norwich 8 149.81x
Barnham 7 1372.55x
Hackney London 7 3.81x
Middlesbrough 7 16.55x
Smallburgh 7 1186.44x
Tunstead 7 1489.36x
Wivenhoe 7 272.37x
Brandon 6 221.40x
Great Clacton 6 272.73x
Great Yarmouth 6 14.37x
Marlesford 6 1500.00x
Newington 6 4.96x
Great Plumstead 5 1351.35x
St George In East London 5 16.22x
St Marylebone London 5 2.86x
St Pancras London 5 1.90x
Beccles 4 62.21x
Dawlish 4 78.59x
Geldeston 4 1212.12x
Heigham 4 14.79x
Ipswich St Mary Key 4 384.62x
Kensington London 4 2.20x
Kettlebaston 4 2105.26x
Lowestoft 4 21.21x
North Leigh 4 540.54x
Norwich St Andrew 4 465.12x
Norwich St Saviour 4 225.99x
Ringsfield 4 1250.00x
Rotherhithe 4 9.88x
Treeton 4 526.32x
Ipswich St Mathew 3 26.81x
Leslie 3 61.10x
Rushmere 3 344.83x
Walpole 3 681.82x
West Deeping 3 937.50x
Beckenham 2 13.68x
Clifton Reynes 2 833.33x
Dunwich 2 714.29x
Earsham 2 289.86x
Everton 2 1.61x
Hastings St Mary 2 14.55x
Henham 2 1176.47x
Hopton 2 202.02x
Kirkley 2 59.88x
Little Linstead 2 1052.63x
Poringland 2 377.36x
Richmond 2 8.94x
Sutton 2 17.32x
Wymondham 2 38.84x
Amlwch 1 18.28x
Battersea 1 0.83x
Bromley 1 5.87x
Cantley 1 333.33x
Corton 1 158.73x
Dewsbury 1 3.00x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 1 8.50x
Grays Inn Staple Inn 1 238.10x
Lambeth 1 0.35x
Morning Thorpe 1 714.29x
North Walsham 1 27.55x
Norwich St Michael At 1 34.25x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 1 39.53x
Reading St Giles 1 4.14x
St Luke London 1 1.90x
Stratton St Mary 1 142.86x
Thurton 1 454.55x
Walthamstow 1 4.29x
Wandsworth 1 3.17x
Wenhaston 1 101.01x
York St Michael 1 212.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 23
George 12
John 12
Arthur 11
James 11
Robert 11
Charles 10
Samuel 10
Henry 7
Thomas 5
Alfred 4
Frederick 4
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Christopher 2
David 2
Edward 2
Joseph 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
August 1
Clement 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Garnham 1
Geo. 1
Harrold 1
J.R. 1
Jesse 1
Josph. 1
Martina 1
Owen 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Thos.W. 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Fiske surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fiske surname in 1881?

In 1881, 336 people were recorded with the Fiske surname. That placed it at #8,996 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fiske surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 429 in 2016. That gives Fiske a modern rank of #11,214.

What does the Fiske surname mean?

From an Old Norse nickname meaning "fish," likely referring to a fisherman or someone who lived near a fish market.

What does the Fiske map show?

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