NameCensus.

UK surname

Fitzgerald

Derived from the Norman French surname "fils de Gerald," meaning "son of Gerald," a personal name of Germanic origin.

In the 1881 census there were 5,205 people recorded with the Fitzgerald surname, ranking it #855 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12,785, ranked #505, up from #855 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wirral, Newport and Torfaen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fitzgerald is 12,969 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 145.6%.

1881 census count

5,205

Ranked #855

Modern count

12,785

2016, ranked #505

Peak year

2014

12,969 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fitzgerald had 5,205 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #855 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 12,785 in 2016, ranked #505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,351 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Fitzgerald surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fitzgerald surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fitzgerald 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 2,582 #1,143
1861 historical 2,967 #972
1881 historical 5,205 #855
1891 historical 4,913 #950
1901 historical 6,294 #879
1911 historical 6,351 #807
1997 modern 12,004 #513
1998 modern 12,506 #513
1999 modern 12,646 #510
2000 modern 12,556 #513
2001 modern 12,284 #511
2002 modern 12,737 #502
2003 modern 12,299 #505
2004 modern 12,303 #508
2005 modern 12,082 #511
2006 modern 12,145 #510
2007 modern 12,307 #504
2008 modern 12,417 #502
2009 modern 12,639 #508
2010 modern 12,950 #506
2011 modern 12,811 #503
2012 modern 12,489 #507
2013 modern 12,828 #506
2014 modern 12,969 #499
2015 modern 12,847 #501
2016 modern 12,785 #505

Geography

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Where Fitzgeralds are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Wirral, Newport, Torfaen, Brent and Birmingham. 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 Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wirral 031 Wirral
2 Newport 017 Newport
3 Torfaen 003 Torfaen
4 Brent 011 Brent
5 Birmingham 125 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fitzgerald

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fitzgerald

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Fitzgerald surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Fitzgerald household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Fitzgerald 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

Fitzgerald 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

Fitzgerald 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 Fitzgerald 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Fitzgerald

The surname FITZGERALD is an ancient Irish name with origins dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "fitz," meaning son, and "Gerald," which was a common Norman name at the time. The name essentially translates to "son of Gerald."

The first known bearer of the name was Maurice FitzGerald, a Norman-Welsh nobleman who came to Ireland in the late 12th century during the Norman invasion. He and his descendants played a significant role in the conquest and settlement of Ireland, establishing themselves as powerful lords and landowners.

The name can be traced back to the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book records several individuals with variations of the name, such as Geraldus and Giraldus, indicating its Norman roots.

One of the earliest and most notable FITZGERALDs was Gerald of Windsor, who was born around 1120 and served as the Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1172 to 1176. Another prominent figure was Maurice FitzGerald, the 2nd Lord of Offaly, who lived from 1194 to 1257 and played a crucial role in the conquest of Connacht.

The FITZGERALDs were also closely associated with the ancient Kingdom of Desmond in southwestern Ireland. The Earls of Desmond, a powerful and influential family, bore the FITZGERALD surname for several generations, starting with John FitzThomas FitzGerald, who was born around 1310 and became the 1st Earl of Desmond.

In the 14th century, the name was recorded in various forms, such as Fitz Gerald, FitzGerold, and FitzGirald, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation at the time. The name was also associated with various place names, including Kildare, where the FITZGERALDs held significant landholdings and influence.

Notable FITZGERALDs throughout history include Lord Edward FitzGerald (1763-1798), an Irish revolutionary and leader of the United Irishmen, George FitzGerald (1612-1665), an Irish Jesuit and theologian, and Francis Scott Key FitzGerald (1859-1935), an American author and translator best known for his work on the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fitzgerald families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fitzgerald 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 1,390 Fitzgeralds recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.72x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,390 2.72x
Lancashire 997 1.65x
Surrey 486 1.95x
Kent 244 1.40x
Yorkshire 240 0.47x
Glamorgan 229 2.57x
Monmouthshire 153 4.14x
Durham 119 0.78x
Essex 117 1.16x
Gloucestershire 117 1.17x
Hampshire 116 1.11x
Cheshire 110 0.98x
Lanarkshire 88 0.53x
Somerset 73 0.89x
Devon 61 0.57x
Staffordshire 60 0.35x
Warwickshire 53 0.41x
Sussex 51 0.59x
Northumberland 50 0.66x
Channel Islands 39 2.58x
Angus 37 0.78x
Derbyshire 37 0.46x
Norfolk 32 0.41x
Oxfordshire 31 0.98x
Royal Navy 31 5.09x
Berkshire 29 0.76x
Hertfordshire 23 0.65x
Cumberland 21 0.48x
Lincolnshire 20 0.24x
Suffolk 20 0.32x
Leicestershire 13 0.23x
Renfrewshire 12 0.30x
Cornwall 11 0.19x
Midlothian 11 0.16x
Dorset 10 0.30x
Dunbartonshire 10 0.73x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.15x
Pembrokeshire 10 0.62x
Shropshire 10 0.23x
Worcestershire 8 0.12x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.15x
Northamptonshire 7 0.15x
Perthshire 7 0.31x
Stirlingshire 6 0.32x
Ayrshire 4 0.10x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.15x
Brecknockshire 2 0.20x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.09x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.18x
Fife 2 0.07x
Herefordshire 2 0.10x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.20x
Anglesey 1 0.11x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.03x
Cardiganshire 1 0.08x
Denbighshire 1 0.05x
Flintshire 1 0.07x
Isle of Man 1 0.11x
Westmorland 1 0.09x
Wiltshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 214 Fitzgeralds recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.81x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 214 5.81x
Manchester 155 5.69x
St Marylebone London 138 5.06x
St Pancras London 105 2.55x
Islington London 97 1.96x
Camberwell 83 2.54x
Lambeth 77 1.73x
Kensington London 73 2.57x
Poplar London 70 7.26x
Westminster St John 70 11.25x
St George In East London 69 14.36x
Southwark St George Martyr 62 6.03x
Salford 56 3.14x
West Ham 56 2.52x
Newington 55 2.92x
Cardiff St Mary 53 10.82x
Chelsea London 52 3.38x
St George Hanover Square 52 5.78x
Bermondsey 51 3.35x
West Derby 48 2.71x
St Woollos 47 11.41x
Toxteth Park 42 2.05x
Swansea Town 40 5.49x
Deptford St Paul 38 2.83x
Glasgow 38 1.30x
Mile End Old Town London 37 3.40x
St Helier 35 7.10x
St Luke London 35 4.27x
Everton 34 1.76x
Battersea 32 1.70x
Bromley London 31 2.76x
Greenwich 31 3.81x
Newport 31 17.60x
Bedwellty 29 4.45x
Royal Navy 29 5.57x
St Andrew Holborn London 29 13.11x
Clerkenwell London 28 2.32x
Birmingham 27 0.63x
Bristol St Augustine 26 16.08x
Fulham London 25 3.38x
Hampstead London 25 3.14x
Govan 24 0.59x
Portsea 24 1.17x
Birkenhead 23 2.56x
Paddington London 23 1.22x
Westoe 23 2.67x
Bootle Cum Linacre 22 4.57x
Cardiff St John 22 7.57x
Dundee 22 1.25x
Stoke Upon Trent 22 1.20x
Whitechapel London 22 4.37x
Hackney London 21 0.73x
Leckwith 21 100.33x
Merthyr Tydfil 21 2.46x
Shoreditch London 21 0.95x
St Giles In Fields London 21 8.38x
Brighton 20 1.15x
Chorlton On Medlock 20 2.08x
Gorton 20 3.51x
Hammersmith London 20 1.59x
Hulme 20 1.58x
Southwark St Saviour 20 7.62x
Leeds 19 0.66x
Nether Hallam 19 2.77x
Stoke Damerel 19 2.55x
Tottenham 19 2.34x
Westminster St Margaret 19 7.71x
Barony 18 0.43x
Bradford 18 1.47x
Cheltenham 18 2.33x
Southwark St John 18 11.52x
Aberystruth 17 5.22x
Chiswick 17 6.09x
Glossop Dale 17 4.54x
Limehouse London 17 3.03x
St Botolph Aldgate London 17 16.16x
Wigan 17 2.01x
Reading St Giles 16 4.25x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 16 22.13x
Woolwich 16 2.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 507
Ellen 160
Elizabeth 147
Margaret 146
Catherine 119
Ann 81
Sarah 80
Annie 71
Bridget 68
Jane 65
Eliza 59
Alice 56
Kate 47
Emily 39
Emma 39
Julia 32
Hannah 31
Florence 24
Agnes 23
Edith 23
Louisa 23
Maria 23
Charlotte 21
Susan 21
Fanny 20
Anne 19
Caroline 19
Johanna 16
Frances 15
Harriet 15
Lucy 14
Martha 14
Geraldine 12
Norah 12
Ada 10
Clara 10
Isabella 10
Matilda 10
Helen 9
Anna 8
Elizth. 8
Ethel 8
Kathleen 8
Margt. 8
Amelia 7
Jessie 7
Mabel 7
Margret 7
Rose 7
Maud 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 449
James 243
William 227
Thomas 215
Michael 122
Edward 120
Patrick 107
Richard 70
George 67
Charles 52
Henry 42
Joseph 41
Robert 29
David 28
Francis 27
Gerald 25
Alfred 23
Thos. 22
Maurice 20
Daniel 19
Arthur 18
Wm. 18
Peter 16
Frederick 15
Cornelius 13
Stephen 11
Martin 10
Harry 9
Jas. 9
Jeremiah 9
Walter 9
Denis 8
Edmund 8
Frank 8
J. 8
Matthew 8
Timothy 8
Christopher 7
Dennis 7
Albert 6
Augustus 6
Edwd. 6
Ernest 6
Jno. 6
Morris 6
Nicholas 6
Percy 6
Richd. 6
Samuel 5
Garrett 4

FAQ

Fitzgerald surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fitzgerald surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,205 people were recorded with the Fitzgerald surname. That placed it at #855 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fitzgerald surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 12,785 in 2016. That gives Fitzgerald a modern rank of #505.

What does the Fitzgerald surname mean?

Derived from the Norman French surname "fils de Gerald," meaning "son of Gerald," a personal name of Germanic origin.

What does the Fitzgerald map show?

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