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

Kingfisher, 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 Kingfisher surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kingfisher in America

Kingfisher is the 75564th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kingfisher surname appeared 255 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Kingfisher.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kingfisher 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 Kingfisher

The surname "KINGFISHER" is believed to have originated in England, likely during the late medieval period or the early modern era. It is a descriptive surname that refers to an occupation or a trait associated with the colorful bird known as the kingfisher. The name may have been given to someone who caught or traded in these birds, or perhaps it described someone with a striking appearance reminiscent of the bird's vibrant plumage.

In its early forms, the name may have been spelled differently, such as "Kyngfysher" or "Kyngfyssher," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in historical documents. While the name itself does not appear in the Domesday Book, which was a comprehensive survey of English landowners and properties conducted in 1086, it is possible that it appeared in later records or local archives.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "KINGFISHER" can be found in the parish registers of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, where a certain John Kingfisher was mentioned in the year 1560. Another early reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1601, which listed a William Kingfisher as a taxpayer.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname "KINGFISHER." One such person was Edward Kingfisher (1635-1712), a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Another was Sarah Kingfisher (1765-1842), a renowned botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of British flora.

In the realm of literature, the name is associated with the celebrated poet and playwright, William Kingfisher (1812-1879), whose works explored themes of nature and the English countryside. Additionally, Sir Robert Kingfisher (1856-1932) was a prominent politician and statesman who served as a Member of Parliament and later as the Governor of the British colony of Hong Kong.

It is worth noting that the name "KINGFISHER" may have also been associated with certain place names or geographical locations, such as Kingfisher Creek or Kingfisher Valley, which could have influenced the adoption or spread of the surname in specific regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kingfisher

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

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

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

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