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Fish Family History

Fish Name Meaning

English: from Middle English fish fisch fisk ‘fish’ (Old English fisc Old Norse fiskr) a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman or fish seller or a nickname for someone thought to resemble a fish. Americanized form of German Fisch and a variant of the same Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname. The surname of Jewish and German origin is also found in Britain. Americanized form (translation into English) of French Poisson ‘fish’. Americanized form (mistranslation into English) of French Poissant meaning ‘powerful strong vigorous’ but understood as poisson ‘fish’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Fisch, Fisk, Wish, Fash, Rish, Fass, Biss, Bish, Rush, Mish

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Fish family from?

You can see how Fish families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fish family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fish families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 230 Fish families living in Ontario. This was about 52% of all the recorded Fish's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Fish families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fish surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Fish ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Fish. 40% of Fish men worked as a Farmer and 20% of Fish women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Fish were Clerk and Dressmaker. .

View Census Data for Fish | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    40%
  • Labourer
    12%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    20%
  • Operator
    16%
  • Stenographer
    16%
  • Dressmaker
    12%
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What Fish family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 268,000 census records available for the last name Fish. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fish census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Fish

Passenger Lists

There are 24,000 immigration records available for the last name Fish. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Fish immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 38,000 military records available for the last name Fish. For the veterans among your Fish ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fish military records

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What is the average Fish lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Fish life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Fish in 1941 was 37, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fish

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