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Fifer Family History

Fifer Surname Meaning

Americanized form of German Pfeiffer or Pfeifer ‘piper whistler’ and a variant of the same Jewish (Ashkenazic) surnames.

In North America this surname is also an altered form of various homonymous Slavic adaptations of the German surnames such as Czech Fajfr and Faifr.

Slovenian Pfajfar and Fajfar are additional variations.

Slovenian: from German Pfeiffer or Pfeifer ‘piper whistler’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Fifer family from?

You can see how Fifer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fifer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fifer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 24 Fifer families living in London. This was about 83% of all the recorded Fifer's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Fifer families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fifer 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 Fifer ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Draughtsman and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Fifer. 50% of Fifer men worked as a Draughtsman and 100% of Fifer women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Fifer | 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

  • Draughtsman
    50%
  • Tailors Presser
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Fifer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Fifer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fifer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Fifer

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Fifer. 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 Fifer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 6,000 military records available for the last name Fifer. For the veterans among your Fifer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fifer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fifer family history

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What is the average Fifer lifespan?

Between 1949 and 2004, in the United States, Fifer life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Fifer in 1949 was 37, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fifer

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Fifer 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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