The Fife surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 6,719 people carried this name — #5,202 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 43,900 people counted. That is up 2% from 6,574 in 2000.

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Where the name comes from

The origin of the Fife surname

As an English and Welsh surname

An early record he cites: William Fig, Cambridgeshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 287 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

21 Fife families were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 122 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 7
New Hampshire 3
Massachusetts 3
Maryland 3
North Carolina 2
Vermont 1
New York 1
South Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 240 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Fife in American newspapers,
1882–1891.

Newspaper page from Oxford Democrat carrying the name Fife
Oxford Democrat 1882-12-12
Newspaper page from Oxford Democrat carrying the name Fife
Oxford Democrat 1883-04-03
Newspaper page from The Abbeville Press And Banner carrying the name Fife
The Abbeville Press And Banner 1891-07-01

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 3,068 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Fife in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

10,002 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Fife. The most, 1,440, date from the 1900s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 2.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 2,654
New South Wales 2,302
Victoria 1,501
ACT (Canberra) 1,428
Queensland 1,175
Western Australia 506
Tasmania 381
Northern Territory 2

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Fife.

Who carried it

People named Fife,
with a public archive behind them.

  • William Fife
    William Fife 1817–1902 · marine engineer
  • William Fife III
    William Fife III 1857–1944 · engineer
  • Emily Fife d. 1897
  • Caroline Jane Legard d. 1906
  • James George Fife 1824–1894 · soldier
  • Elizabeth Fife 1826–1889

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Fife,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States551 records

551 records of the Fife name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 225
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 83
  • Other U.S. records 243
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record James A. Fife

    Born 1919 in Mississippi. Enlisted 1942 at Camp Shelby; lumberman from Leake County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1966, buried at Wintergreen Cemetery, Port Gibson, Mississippi.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record James Herbert Fife

    Born 1946; from Seattle, Washington. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1966 in South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Catherine Fife

    Arrived at New York in 1848 aboard the Fanchion from Liverpool, aged 17; servant. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain)

Showing 3 of 551 records for Fife in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada213 records

213 records of the Fife name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 203
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 5
  • Other Canadian records 5
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mathew Fife

    Came to Ontario in 1872 aboard the Missippi, landing at Quebec, bound for Limehouse, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Hiram Fife

    Killed in 1891 at the Springhill Mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Edith Amelia Fife

    Died 1942; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 213 records for Fife in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Australia190 records

190 records of the Fife name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 117
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 28
  • Other Australian records 45
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Thomas Fife

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Westmoreland, arriving 1838; certificate of freedom 1845.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Robert Fife

    Arrived in Victoria in 1854 aboard the Africa, aged 19; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record John N. Fife

    Carpenter of Ormond, Victoria; died 1955.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 190 records for Fife in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand12 records

12 records of the Fife name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 10
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Sarah Ann Fife

    Died 1952, aged 75; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record W. Fife

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Irene May Fife

    Died 1970, aged 73; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Fife in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

United Kingdom7 records

7 records of the Fife name in the United Kingdom
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 4
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  • Other British records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Fife

    Died 1991, aged 75; buried at Logie Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Bridget Fife

    Buried in 1849 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 35.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record James A. Fife

    Served in the First World War. Named in the Glasgow High School roll of honour, 1914.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Fife in the United Kingdom.

Counts: MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France2 records

2 records of the Fife name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Camille Felicien Fife

    Born 1903 in Vacqueville (Meurthe-et-Moselle); died 1991 in Châtel-sur-Moselle (Vosges).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Daniel Joseph Fife

    Born 1933 in Vacqueville (Meurthe-et-Moselle); died 1999 in Épinal (Vosges).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Fife name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 1
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Sarah Margret Fife

    Died 1878 in Rotterdam, aged 55.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Sarah Margaret Fife

    In a population register; born 1821.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Fife.

When the index is not enough

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