2000
#126,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Fights
A surname derived from engaging in physical combat or battles.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 140 Americans carry the last name Fights. That puts it at #140,525 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,448,245 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fights 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
140
1 in 2,448,245
Census rank
#140,525
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
122
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 122 bearers of the surname Fights in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 140525th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fights, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fights
The surname "FIGHTS" is believed to have originated in England during the late 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "feohtan," which means "to fight" or "to struggle." This suggests that the name may have initially been given as a descriptive nickname to someone who had a reputation for being a fierce fighter or warrior.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1198, where a person named Richard Fightes is mentioned. This document provides evidence that the name was already in use by the late 12th century.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Fyghtes, Fightes, and Fyghtys, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that time. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a William Fightes from Oxfordshire, indicating the name's presence in different parts of the country.
During the Middle Ages, the name FIGHTS may have been associated with individuals who were involved in military conflicts or those who had a reputation for being skilled in combat. However, it is also possible that the name could have been given to someone who was known for their tenacity or resilience in overcoming challenges.
One notable figure with the surname FIGHTS was Sir John Fights, a 14th-century knight who served under King Edward III. He was mentioned in records from the Hundred Years' War and is believed to have participated in several battles against the French.
In the 16th century, the name FIGHTS appeared in the Parish Registers of Herefordshire, where a Thomas Fights was recorded in 1568. This suggests that the name had spread across different regions of England by this time.
Another individual of note was William Fights, born in 1624 in Warwickshire. He was a prominent merchant and landowner who played a role in the economic development of his local community.
The name FIGHTS can also be traced back to the village of Fightham in Kent, which may have been named after an early settler or landowner with this surname. This connection provides insight into the potential origins of the name and its association with specific geographical locations.
Throughout history, the surname FIGHTS has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including soldiers, merchants, landowners, and members of the gentry. While the exact origins and meanings behind the name may have evolved over time, its connection to the concept of fighting or struggling has remained a consistent theme.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fights
Among Census respondents with the surname Fights, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Fights 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 Fights surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.7% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino5.7% · 7
- Two or more races4.1% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.5% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fights
Fights 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-9 bearers (-7.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16,749 places
2020
#140,525
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
+6 bearers (+5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,624 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #126,400 | 125 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.2%) | Down 16,749 places |
| 2020 | #140,525 | 122 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.2%) | Up 2,624 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 Fights 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 | #143,149 | #140,525 | 1.8% |
| Count | 116 | 122 | 5.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 2.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fights bearers went from 116 to 122 (+5.2% change). The surname moved up 2,624 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #140,525.
FAQ
Fights surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fights?
Name Census estimates that about 140 living Americans carry the surname Fights. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,448,245 residents.
How common is Fights?
Fights ranks #140,525 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 122 people with the surname Fights. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (140), 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 Fights.
Has Fights become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fights went from 116 recorded bearers to 122. That is an increase of 6 (+5.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #143,149 to #140,525.
What does the Census say about the background of Fights?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fights, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Two or More Races (4.1%). 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 Fights in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.7% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fights appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.7%), Hispanic (5.7%), Two or More Races (4.1%). 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 Fights (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 Fights mean?
A surname derived from engaging in physical combat or battles. 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 Fights (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 common is the surname Fights?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how common the surname Fights is at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.