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

Fischer, 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 Fischer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fischer in America

Fischer is the 455th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fischer surname appeared 72,357 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 25 people would have the surname Fischer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fischer 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 Fischer

The surname Fischer is of German origin, deriving from the Middle High German word "vischer," meaning fisherman. It first emerged in regions of Germany where fishing was a common occupation, such as along the rivers and coasts.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fischer can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Silesiae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Silesia, dating back to the 13th century. The name was spelled "Vischer" at the time.

In the 14th century, the surname Fischer appeared in various town records and chronicles across German-speaking areas. For instance, a certain Hans Fischer was mentioned in the municipal records of the city of Nuremberg in 1365.

During the Middle Ages, many individuals with the surname Fischer were likely involved in the fishing trade or lived in close proximity to bodies of water. However, as surnames became hereditary, the name was passed down through generations, even if the family's occupation changed.

One notable bearer of the name was Johann Fischer, a German composer and music theorist who lived from 1646 to 1716. He was known for his contributions to the development of the thorough-bass system, which was a crucial step in the evolution of modern harmonic theory.

Another prominent figure was Paul Fischer, a German architect and urban planner who lived from 1835 to 1900. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Berlin, including the Reichstag building, which houses the German parliament.

In the 19th century, the surname Fischer was also associated with the Fischer von Erlach family, a renowned Austrian family of architects and sculptors. Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach (1656-1723) was a celebrated Baroque architect who designed numerous churches and palaces in Vienna.

Additionally, the name Fischer has been linked to several places throughout Germany, such as the town of Fischern in Bavaria, which likely derived its name from the profession of fishing.

Over the centuries, the surname Fischer has been found across various German-speaking regions, including Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Eastern Europe where German communities settled. It remains a common surname in these areas today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fischer

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

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 Fischer 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 Fischer 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 Fischer was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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