Find out how popular the last name Fief is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Fief.

Fief, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Fief surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fief in America

Fief is the 115034th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fief surname appeared 152 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Fief.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fief to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Fief

The surname "FIEF" originates from France, specifically in the regions of Normandy and Brittany, and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "fief," which referred to a feudal estate or land held by a vassal from a lord in exchange for service and allegiance.

The earliest recorded instances of the name "FIEF" can be traced back to the 11th and 12th centuries in various medieval charters and records. It is believed that the name initially referred to individuals who held fiefs or were associated with the feudal system during this period.

One notable historical reference to the name "FIEF" is found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. Several entries mention individuals with variations of the name, such as "Fief" or "Fiefe," indicating their connection to the feudal system.

Among the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "FIEF" was Raoul de Fief, a Norman knight who participated in the First Crusade in the late 11th century. Another early bearer of the name was Guillame de Fief, a landowner and vassal mentioned in the cartulary of the Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy in the 12th century.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Jean de Fief served as a member of the Parliament of Paris, which was a judicial and administrative body during the reign of King Louis IX (1226-1270).

During the 14th century, the name "FIEF" was associated with several places in Normandy and Brittany, such as the village of Fief-Sauvin and the manor of Fief-Grissaud. This further reinforced the connection between the surname and its feudal origins.

One of the most prominent individuals bearing the name "FIEF" was Olivier de Fief (c. 1430-1495), a French nobleman and military commander who served under King Charles VIII and participated in the Italian Wars.

In the 16th century, Jacques de Fief (c. 1520-1580) was a renowned jurist and legal scholar from Normandy, known for his contributions to the development of French civil law.

As the surname spread beyond its original regions, it underwent various spelling variations, such as "Fieff," "Fiefe," and "Fieve," reflecting the local dialects and linguistic influences of different areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fief

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Fief.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Fief was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Fief has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Fief was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Fief, please contact us.

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