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

Fitch, 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 Fitch surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fitch in America

Fitch is the 1885th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fitch surname appeared 19,060 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Fitch.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fitch 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 Fitch

The surname Fitch is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "fiche," which means "small deer" or "fawn." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked as a deer hunter or poacher.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fitch can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Radulfus Fiche in Warwickshire. This suggests that the name had already been established in England by the 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a Richard Fitch living in Oxfordshire, and a Walter Fitch residing in Cambridgeshire. These early examples demonstrate the name's spread across various regions of England during the Middle Ages.

The surname Fitch has also been associated with various place names throughout history. For instance, the village of Fitch in Herefordshire, England, may have derived its name from the surname, or vice versa.

One notable figure with the surname Fitch was Sir Ralph Fitch, an English merchant and explorer who embarked on a remarkable journey to India and Southeast Asia in the late 16th century (c. 1550-1611). His accounts of these voyages provided valuable insights into the cultures and trade practices of the regions he visited.

Another prominent individual was John Fitch, an American inventor and engineer who is credited with creating one of the first successful steamboats in 1787. He lived from 1743 to 1798 and played a significant role in the development of early steam-powered transportation.

In the realm of literature, Clyde Fitch (1865-1909) was an American playwright and dramatist known for his popular comedies and melodramas, including "The Climbers" and "The Truth."

The name Fitch has also been associated with notable figures in the field of sports. Walter Fitch (1889-1938) was a professional baseball player who played for the New York Giants and the Boston Braves in the early 20th century.

Lastly, one cannot overlook Abigail Fitch (1615-1663), who was among the first female criminals to be executed in the American colonies for witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials in 1692.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fitch

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

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

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

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