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Fife Family History

Fife Surname Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from the province and former kingdom of Fife in East Scotland, a name of obscure etymology.

Tradition has it that the name is derived from an eponymous Fib, one of the seven sons of Cruithne, legendary founding father of the Picts.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Fife family from?

You can see how Fife families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fife family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fife families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 113 Fife families living in London. This was about 26% of all the recorded Fife's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Fife families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fife 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 Fife ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer (builder and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Fife. 25% of Fife men worked as a General Labourer (builder and 80% of Fife women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Fife were Unpaid Domestic Duties and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Fife | 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 1939

  • General Labourer (builder
    25%
  • Gen Labr
    25%
  • Farmer
    25%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    80%
  • Domestic Duties
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dut
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Fife family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 46,000 census records available for the last name Fife. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fife census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Fife

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Fife. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Fife immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Fife. For the veterans among your Fife ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fife military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fife family history

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What is the average Fife lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Fife life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Fife in 1944 was 31, and 70 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fife

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Fife ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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