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

Flesher, 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 Flesher surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Flesher in America

Flesher is the 10756th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Flesher surname appeared 2,966 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Flesher.

We can also compare 2010 data for Flesher 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 Flesher

The surname Flesher is of English origin, derived from the occupational term "flesher," which referred to a butcher or a dealer in meat. The name can be traced back to the early 13th century, with its earliest recorded use found in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273, where it appears as "le Flesshewere."

This surname was particularly prevalent in the northern counties of England, especially in Yorkshire, Northumberland, and Durham, where the meat trade was a thriving industry. The name likely originated from the Old English word "flæsc," meaning flesh or meat, and the Old French word "flescher," meaning butcher.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are references to individuals with occupations related to the meat trade, such as "carnifex" (butcher) and "carnifex regis" (the king's butcher). However, the specific surname Flesher is not mentioned in this ancient record.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Flesher can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a John Flesshewer is listed. Another early example is William Flescher, who was mentioned in the Durham Chancery Records in 1471.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Flesher:

1. Sir John Flesher (1545-1615), an English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1608.
2. Thomas Flesher (1612-1663), an English printer and publisher based in London during the 17th century.
3. John Flesher (1707-1776), a British mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the calculation of the Earth's orbit.
4. Margaret Flesher (1829-1892), an American educator and abolitionist who founded the Flesher School for Colored Girls in Virginia.
5. William Flesher (1838-1917), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Yorkshire, including the Wakefield Town Hall.

While the surname Flesher has its roots in the occupation of butchery, it has evolved over time and is now widely dispersed across various regions and communities, transcending its original occupational association.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Flesher

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

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

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

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