Fite
A surname that likely began as a shortened or altered form of a name like White or Fitt, rather than from a distinct occupation or place-name.
The #6,066 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 54,587 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical material here does not give a firm direct explanation for Fite, but it strongly suggests a short English surname of nickname or altered-form type. In older surname collections it appears alongside forms like Fitt and White, which points to either a spelling variant or a phonetic reshaping of an older name. The surname may therefore come from a reduced medieval personal name or a nickname-based form, but the exact root is not secure from these excerpts alone.
History
The name shows up in 19th-century surname lists, but the provided excerpts do not trace it to one definite family line or region. In modern usage it is a relatively uncommon U.S. surname, with bearers concentrated in small numbers rather than as a large nationwide clan name. Because the evidence here is thin, its deeper history should be treated cautiously.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One 19th-century surname index places Fite right next to Fitt and Fitman, hinting that compilers saw it as part of a small cluster of related short names.
From the historical record
“name Meeting a girl, he asked : — 'Could ye tell me fa'r Sanny Fite lives?' 'Filk [which] Sanny Fite?' 'Muckle Sanny Fite.' Filk muckle Sanny Fite?' 'Muckle lang Sanny Fite.' 'Filk muckle lang Sanny Fite?'”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)