NameCensus.

UK surname

Fitch

A surname of English origin referring to a dweller near a ditch or derived from the Old English word "ficchen," meaning "to fix."

In the 1881 census there were 2,339 people recorded with the Fitch surname, ranking it #1,899 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,322, ranked #2,805, down from #1,899 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lambeth and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Holland, Ipswich and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fitch is 3,198 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.7%.

1881 census count

2,339

Ranked #1,899

Modern count

2,322

2016, ranked #2,805

Peak year

1911

3,198 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fitch had 2,339 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,899 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,322 in 2016, ranked #2,805.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,198 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fitch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fitch surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fitch 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 1,631 #1,762
1861 historical 1,522 #1,855
1881 historical 2,339 #1,899
1891 historical 2,605 #1,829
1901 historical 3,084 #1,813
1911 historical 3,198 #1,630
1997 modern 2,653 #2,402
1998 modern 2,678 #2,466
1999 modern 2,714 #2,456
2000 modern 2,663 #2,484
2001 modern 2,584 #2,496
2002 modern 2,651 #2,489
2003 modern 2,520 #2,546
2004 modern 2,531 #2,541
2005 modern 2,443 #2,591
2006 modern 2,396 #2,633
2007 modern 2,418 #2,639
2008 modern 2,403 #2,664
2009 modern 2,447 #2,689
2010 modern 2,479 #2,719
2011 modern 2,439 #2,724
2012 modern 2,346 #2,767
2013 modern 2,374 #2,777
2014 modern 2,382 #2,784
2015 modern 2,345 #2,794
2016 modern 2,322 #2,805

Geography

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Where Fitchs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lambeth, St John Hackney and Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Holland, Ipswich, Northumberland, Wiltshire and St Edmundsbury. 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 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Holland 008 South Holland
2 Ipswich 007 Ipswich
3 Northumberland 029 Northumberland
4 Wiltshire 002 Wiltshire
5 St Edmundsbury 012 St Edmundsbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fitch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fitch

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

Fitch 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

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

Meaning and origin of Fitch

The surname Fitch is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "fiche," which means "small deer" or "fawn." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked as a deer hunter or poacher.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fitch can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Radulfus Fiche in Warwickshire. This suggests that the name had already been established in England by the 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a Richard Fitch living in Oxfordshire, and a Walter Fitch residing in Cambridgeshire. These early examples demonstrate the name's spread across various regions of England during the Middle Ages.

The surname Fitch has also been associated with various place names throughout history. For instance, the village of Fitch in Herefordshire, England, may have derived its name from the surname, or vice versa.

One notable figure with the surname Fitch was Sir Ralph Fitch, an English merchant and explorer who embarked on a remarkable journey to India and Southeast Asia in the late 16th century (c. 1550-1611). His accounts of these voyages provided valuable insights into the cultures and trade practices of the regions he visited.

Another prominent individual was John Fitch, an American inventor and engineer who is credited with creating one of the first successful steamboats in 1787. He lived from 1743 to 1798 and played a significant role in the development of early steam-powered transportation.

In the realm of literature, Clyde Fitch (1865-1909) was an American playwright and dramatist known for his popular comedies and melodramas, including "The Climbers" and "The Truth."

The name Fitch has also been associated with notable figures in the field of sports. Walter Fitch (1889-1938) was a professional baseball player who played for the New York Giants and the Boston Braves in the early 20th century.

Lastly, one cannot overlook Abigail Fitch (1615-1663), who was among the first female criminals to be executed in the American colonies for witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials in 1692.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fitch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fitch 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. Essex leads with 617 Fitchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.68x.

County Total Index
Essex 617 13.68x
Middlesex 596 2.61x
Suffolk 238 8.55x
Surrey 216 1.94x
Kent 122 1.56x
Cambridgeshire 92 6.36x
Yorkshire 50 0.22x
Hertfordshire 45 2.86x
Leicestershire 37 1.46x
Huntingdonshire 34 7.49x
Sussex 33 0.86x
Lanarkshire 27 0.37x
Norfolk 26 0.74x
Renfrewshire 24 1.36x
Staffordshire 24 0.31x
Lancashire 14 0.05x
Hampshire 13 0.28x
Berkshire 12 0.70x
Midlothian 10 0.33x
Northamptonshire 10 0.47x
Derbyshire 9 0.25x
Northumberland 9 0.26x
Worcestershire 9 0.30x
Denbighshire 8 0.93x
Devon 8 0.17x
Durham 8 0.12x
Channel Islands 6 0.89x
Bedfordshire 5 0.42x
Cheshire 5 0.10x
Cumberland 5 0.25x
Gloucestershire 5 0.11x
Somerset 5 0.14x
Warwickshire 5 0.09x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.13x
Ayrshire 3 0.18x
Lincolnshire 3 0.08x
Argyllshire 2 0.31x
Banffshire 1 0.21x
Monmouthshire 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.37x
Rutland 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 75 Fitchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.85x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 75 5.85x
Islington London 71 3.21x
Lambeth 57 2.86x
Mile End Old Town London 40 8.22x
Camberwell 37 2.53x
West Ham 37 3.71x
Wethersfield 30 263.62x
Ashdon 28 426.18x
Newington 28 3.32x
Bethnal Green London 27 2.72x
Hundon 27 389.05x
St Pancras London 27 1.47x
Steeple Bumpstead 27 326.88x
Chelsea London 26 3.78x
Birdbrook 24 527.47x
Great Sampford 23 475.21x
Battersea 22 2.62x
Thaxted 22 146.96x
Kensington London 21 1.65x
Paddington London 21 2.50x
Romford 21 29.44x
Walthamstow 21 12.93x
Howden 20 129.95x
Poplar London 20 4.64x
Leicester St Margaret 19 3.07x
Linton 19 138.08x
Broxbourne 18 57.66x
Chelmsford 18 23.25x
Paisley Middle Church 18 17.46x
Woodbridge 17 47.77x
Bow London 16 5.50x
Bromley London 16 3.18x
Clerkenwell London 16 2.97x
Chatham 15 6.99x
Orford 15 167.22x
Shoreditch London 15 1.51x
Lewisham 14 3.37x
Little Thurlow 14 522.39x
Saffron Walden 14 29.37x
St Andrew Holborn London 14 14.15x
St Giles In Fields London 14 12.49x
Fulham London 13 3.92x
Hammersmith London 13 2.31x
Ipswich St Mathew 13 16.66x
Westminster St James 13 5.53x
Bermondsey 12 1.76x
Braintree 12 29.62x
Burntwood Edial 12 24.35x
Hadstock 12 343.84x
Kelvedon Hatch 12 409.56x
Govan 11 0.60x
Hornsey 11 3.81x
Kelsale 11 142.30x
Leyton Low 11 11.99x
Southwark St George Martyr 11 2.39x
Wanstead 11 13.92x
Bothwell 10 4.99x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 10 13.81x
Ingatestone 10 138.12x
Littleport 10 36.15x
Milton In Gravesend 10 8.55x
St Marylebone London 10 0.82x
Tottenham 10 2.75x
Alconbury Weston 9 276.07x
Bluntisham 9 105.88x
Cliffe 9 51.14x
Colchester St Giles 9 20.19x
Dalham 9 274.39x
Foulness 9 162.16x
Friern Barnet 9 17.88x
Halstead 9 17.10x
Heigham 9 4.77x
Leyton 9 11.58x
Maldon St Peter 9 39.15x
Northampton Priory St 9 6.98x
Richmond 9 5.77x
Sawbridgeworth 9 37.74x
Stambourne 9 264.71x
Stanstead 9 307.17x
Twycross 9 318.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 118
Elizabeth 73
Sarah 61
Emma 49
Eliza 46
Emily 40
Ellen 39
Annie 37
Alice 36
Jane 35
Ann 25
Florence 20
Harriet 20
Susan 20
Charlotte 19
Martha 19
Kate 18
Ada 17
Hannah 17
Louisa 17
Edith 16
Maria 15
Fanny 12
Margaret 12
Agnes 11
Caroline 10
Catherine 10
Clara 10
Minnie 10
Amelia 9
Laura 9
Matilda 9
Rebecca 9
Esther 8
Frances 7
Harriett 7
Lydia 7
Susannah 7
Eleanor 6
Elizth. 6
Julia 6
Lucy 6
Rosa 6
Rose 6
Sophia 6
Beatrice 5
Flora 5
Gertrude 5
Jessie 5
Mabel 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 138
John 100
George 81
Charles 68
Henry 51
James 49
Thomas 48
Frederick 40
Robert 36
Walter 36
Alfred 35
Arthur 35
Joseph 30
Edward 26
Samuel 24
Ernest 20
Harry 19
Herbert 15
Albert 14
Richard 14
Chas. 7
David 7
Edwin 6
Frank 6
Horace 6
Edgar 5
Elijah 5
Frederic 5
Isaac 5
Joshua 5
Francis 4
Geo. 4
Percy 4
Stephen 4
Bernard 3
Clarence 3
Edwd. 3
Fredk. 3
Fredrick 3
Harold 3
Josiah 3
Oswald 3
Philip 3
Robt. 3
Sidney 3
Willie 3
Christopher 2
Leonard 2
Moses 2
Reginald 2

FAQ

Fitch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fitch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,339 people were recorded with the Fitch surname. That placed it at #1,899 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fitch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,322 in 2016. That gives Fitch a modern rank of #2,805.

What does the Fitch surname mean?

A surname of English origin referring to a dweller near a ditch or derived from the Old English word "ficchen," meaning "to fix."

What does the Fitch map show?

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