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

Fite, 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 Fite surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fite in America

Fite is the 6066th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fite surname appeared 5,656 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Fite.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fite 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 Fite

The surname FITE has its origins in England, tracing back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "fihtan," meaning "to fight" or "to struggle." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname, given to those who were fighters, soldiers, or warriors.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FITE can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Leicestershire from the year 1190, where a person named Robert Fite is mentioned. The surname is also found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Norfolk from 1273, which lists a Galfridus Fite among its entries.

During the medieval period, the FITE surname was predominantly concentrated in the counties of Leicestershire, Norfolk, and Suffolk in the East Midlands and East Anglia regions of England. Variations in spelling, such as Fyte and Fight, were also common during this time.

Notable individuals bearing the FITE surname include John Fite, a landowner in Leicestershire who lived in the late 14th century. Records from the Court of Common Pleas in 1399 mention a legal dispute involving John Fite over the ownership of land in the village of Thurcaston.

Another prominent figure was William Fite, a merchant and alderman in the city of Norwich, who was born around 1520 and died in 1586. He was a respected member of the local community and served as the Mayor of Norwich in 1574.

In the 17th century, a family of FITEs resided in the village of Bucklesham, Suffolk. Richard Fite, born in 1612, was a successful farmer and landowner in the area. His son, also named Richard Fite (1643-1711), followed in his footsteps and became a prominent figure in the local community.

Moving into the 18th century, James Fite (1712-1782) was a notable scholar and clergyman from Leicestershire. He attended Oxford University and later became the Rector of Stoke Golding, where he served for many years.

During the 19th century, the FITE surname gained recognition through the exploits of Sir John Fite (1822-1901), a British explorer and adventurer. He undertook several expeditions to Africa and was one of the first Europeans to document the existence of the Okavango Delta in present-day Botswana.

These examples illustrate the longstanding presence of the FITE surname in various parts of England, spanning several centuries and encompassing individuals from diverse backgrounds, including landowners, merchants, clergymen, and explorers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fite

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

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

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

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