2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fielders
An English surname derived from the word "field", referring to someone who lived or worked in fields.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Fielders. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fielders surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Fielders in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fielders, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.2%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fielders
The surname Fielders originated in England during the late medieval period, derived from the Old English word "feldere," which referred to a farmer or someone who tended fields. It is believed to have first appeared in the 13th or 14th century, when hereditary surnames became more widespread among the English population.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fielders can be found in the Chancery Rolls of 1357, where a certain William Feldere is mentioned as a landowner in the county of Lincolnshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established by that time, likely indicating a family with a long history of agricultural pursuits.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the name Fielders experienced various spelling variations, such as Felder, Feldor, and Feylder, reflecting the inconsistencies in written records at the time. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of scribes and record-keepers.
A notable bearer of the Fielders surname was John Fielders, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol during the late 16th century. He played a significant role in the city's thriving trade with the Americas and was known for his philanthropic efforts, founding a school for underprivileged children in 1592.
In the 17th century, the Fielders family established itself in the county of Warwickshire, where they owned several estates and held positions of local authority. One member, Thomas Fielders (1618-1679), served as the High Sheriff of Warwickshire in 1668, indicating the family's elevated social standing at the time.
The 18th century saw the rise of a notable literary figure named Sarah Fielding (1710-1768), a celebrated novelist and the sister of the renowned writer Henry Fielding. Her works, such as "The Governess" and "The Countess of Dellwyn," explored themes of morality and social commentary, earning her recognition in the literary circles of her time.
As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, many Fielders families migrated from rural areas to urban centers, seeking employment in factories and mills. One such individual was William Fielders (1792-1867), a skilled textile worker who became a prominent figure in the early labor movement, advocating for better working conditions and fair wages.
Throughout the centuries, the Fielders surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, merchants, writers, and industrialists. While its origins can be traced back to the agricultural roots of medieval England, the name has since become a part of the rich tapestry of British surnames, reflecting the country's diverse cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fielders
Among Census respondents with the surname Fielders, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.2%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Fielders bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Fielders surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.7% · 104
- Two or more races9.2% · 11
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fielders
Fielders appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#134,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
+9 bearers (+7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 675 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-5 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,337 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,037 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #134,712 | 125 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+7.8%) | Down 675 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 7,337 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Fielders surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #134,712 | #142,049 | -5.4% |
| Count | 125 | 120 | -4.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fielders bearers went from 125 to 120 (-4.0% change). The surname moved down 7,337 positions in the national ranking, going from #134,712 to #142,049.
FAQ
Fielders surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fielders?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Fielders. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Fielders?
Fielders ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 120 people with the surname Fielders. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Fielders.
Has Fielders become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fielders went from 125 recorded bearers to 120. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #134,712 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Fielders?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fielders, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.2%) and Black (1.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Fielders in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.7% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fielders appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.7%), Two or More Races (9.2%), Black (1.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Fielders (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Fielders mean?
An English surname derived from the word "field", referring to someone who lived or worked in fields. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Fielders (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Fielders?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.