Fish History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Germany 
  Israel 
  Ireland 
  Scotland 


The name Fish is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name was taken on by someone who worked as a someone who worked with fish. As one would expect, it is derived from the Old English word fisc, which meant fish. 1

The name is both a forename and surname as "Fisc occurs as a personal name in the Domesday Book of 1086. 2 3

In Normandy where some of the family originated, the family was known by Piscis. And there we found the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae listing Osmond de Piscis or Pisce, William and John, occuring in Normandy, 1180-1195. This spelling prevailed in some cases as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed William de Piscis in England at that time. "The name was afterwards translated." 4

Early Origins of the Fish family

The surname Fish was first found in Lincolnshire where Ernis Fish was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1202. A few years later, Daniel Fisc was listed in Suffolk in 1208 and Robert Fisk was listed in Nottingham in 1230. Robert le Fysch was listed in 1297. 3

Up in Scotland, "William Fysch appears as burgess of Edinbergh in 1423, and Gilbert Fysche recorded as burgess there in 1483 had a charter of part of the lands of Estir halys in the regality of Mussilburgh in the same year." 5

Early History of the Fish family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fish research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1483, 1525, 1531, 1614, 1621, 1658 and 1669 are included under the topic Early Fish History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fish Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Fish include Fish, Fishe and others.

Early Notables of the Fish family

Distinguished members of the family include

Fish Ranking

In the United States, the name Fish is the 1,377th most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Fish family to Ireland

Some of the Fish family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 78 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Fish migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Fish Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Fish Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Fish Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Fish migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Fish Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Fish Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Fish migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Fish Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Fish migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Fish Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Fish migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 14
Fish Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Fish (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Fish +
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