NameCensus.

UK surname

Lisher

An occupational surname for a fisherman or fish dealer.

In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Lisher surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 123, ranked #27,115, down from #26,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, Lancing and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St Edmundsbury, Arun and Chichester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lisher is 127 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 146.0%.

1881 census count

50

Ranked #26,587

Modern count

123

2016, ranked #27,115

Peak year

1911

127 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lisher had 50 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016, ranked #27,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 127 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Lisher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lisher surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lisher 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 62 #22,232
1861 historical 102 #20,797
1881 historical 50 #26,587
1891 historical 125 #20,713
1901 historical 85 #24,636
1911 historical 127 #19,749
1997 modern 106 #26,057
1998 modern 97 #28,054
1999 modern 97 #28,187
2000 modern 100 #27,695
2001 modern 101 #27,252
2002 modern 103 #27,443
2003 modern 109 #26,361
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 105 #27,203
2006 modern 107 #27,179
2007 modern 106 #27,722
2008 modern 107 #27,844
2009 modern 112 #27,685
2010 modern 106 #29,305
2011 modern 103 #29,589
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 119 #27,541
2014 modern 123 #27,206
2015 modern 121 #27,405
2016 modern 123 #27,115

Geography

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Where Lishers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, Lancing, London parishes, Gateshead and Sompting. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St Edmundsbury, Arun, Chichester, North Hertfordshire and Eastleigh. 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 Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst Sussex
2 Lancing Sussex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Sompting Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St Edmundsbury 013 St Edmundsbury
2 Arun 008 Arun
3 Chichester 004 Chichester
4 North Hertfordshire 002 North Hertfordshire
5 Eastleigh 006 Eastleigh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lisher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lisher

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Lisher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lisher household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Lisher is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lisher 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

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

Meaning and origin of Lisher

The surname Lisher has its origins in Germany, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "lisch," which means "reed" or "rush," suggesting that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a reed-covered area or worked with reeds.

In the early records of the German state of Bavaria, there are several mentions of individuals with the surname Lisher or similar spellings, such as Lischer or Liescher. The first recorded instance of the name dates back to 1537 in the town of Bamberg, where a certain Hans Lischer was listed as a resident.

The Lisher surname is not found in the famous Domesday Book, as it originated well after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. However, there are records of the name in other historical documents from various regions of Germany.

One notable individual with the surname Lisher was Johann Lischer, a German theologian and philosopher born in 1624 in Nuremberg. He authored several works on religious philosophy and ethics, making significant contributions to the intellectual discourse of his time.

In the 18th century, the Lisher family expanded their presence across different parts of Germany. Friedrich Lisher, born in 1745 in Saxony, was a prominent merchant and trader, establishing successful business ventures that brought prosperity to his family.

Another prominent figure was Wilhelm Lisher, a 19th-century German painter and illustrator born in 1809 in Baden-Württemberg. His landscape paintings and illustrations of rural life garnered him recognition among art enthusiasts of the time.

In the late 19th century, the Lisher surname also found its way to the United States, as many German immigrants sought new opportunities in the rapidly developing nation. One such individual was Karl Lisher, who arrived in New York City in 1882 and later became a respected architect, designing several notable buildings in the city.

The name Lisher has also been associated with various places in Germany, such as Lischerhof, a small village in Bavaria, and Lischerberg, a hill located in the Black Forest region of Baden-Württemberg. These place names likely originated from the presence of Lisher families in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lisher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lisher 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. Sussex leads with 35 Lishers recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.57x.

County Total Index
Sussex 35 42.57x
Yorkshire 5 1.03x
Surrey 4 1.68x
Fife 2 6.93x
Middlesex 2 0.41x
Devon 1 0.99x
Kent 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. Sompting in Sussex leads with 17 Lishers recorded in 1881 and an index of 15454.55x.

Place Total Index
Sompting 17 15454.55x
Brighton 10 60.28x
Walton On Thames 4 366.97x
Guisbrough 3 283.02x
Lancing 3 1304.35x
Broadwater 2 105.82x
Eston 2 190.48x
Kinghorn 2 327.87x
Poplar London 2 21.74x
Southwick 2 465.12x
Lewisham 1 11.27x
Old Shoreham 1 2500.00x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 12.79x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Lisher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lisher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 50 people were recorded with the Lisher surname. That placed it at #26,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lisher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016. That gives Lisher a modern rank of #27,115.

What does the Lisher surname mean?

An occupational surname for a fisherman or fish dealer.

What does the Lisher map show?

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