The Fibiger (or Fiebiger or Febiger) family history has been traced back to 1520 in Löbau in Germany. From there some migrated south, first to upper Saxony and later even further south to northern Bohemia. Later, they migrated north into Denmark, and since then they have spread to all over the world.

The Czechs are slavic people whereas the name Fibiger is not a slavic name at all but is of German origin. It derives from the original "fieweger" a person who was appointed by the villagers, and who was responsible for leading the cattle, cows (thus the word "fie") to the common pasture via the "fieweg" or the cattle path. This was a common practice in villages in northern Germany. This supports the theory that the Fibiger family origins from Germany.

The Bohemian Fibigers were concentrated in and around the town of Bakov n/J. (the n/J in czech means "on the river Jizera) - see map of Bohemia. This Bakov is located very close (10 km) to a larger city called Mlada Boleslav, which is then about 100 km north of Prague.

One of the "local" decendents is believed to be Zdenek Fibich. Together with B. Smetana and A. Dvorak, Zdenek Fibich is the most significant representative of the founding Czech music generation of the second half of the 19th Century.
Today, there are decendents around the world, typically in Denmark under the name Fibiger, in the US, Germany and Austria under the (origin)name Fiebiger, and in the Czeck Republic under the names Fibech, Fibich and Fibach.

Fibiger (or Febiger or Fiebiger) in America

In the US, I have found two main branches of the family tree, namely Febiger and Fiebiger.

The Febiger branch decends from Col. Hans Christian Fibiger (1749-1796), and the family includes Admiral John Carson Febiger (1821-1898)

Further, under the name Fiebiger there are many decendents. As appers from the Fiebiger-Seydler family tree (PDF), there would seem to be living decendents under the name Seydler in the US, who may be related to the present living Fibigers in Denmark and elsewhere.

The missing link (my theory)

It still needs to be explored, if there is a direct link between Georg Fiebiger in Löbau, Germany 1520, and the brothers who came from Bohemia to Denmark around 1700. If anybody have any information about this, please do not hesitate to come forward. My theory is based firstly on the geograpical facts that would indicate a connection. See the map of Bohemia. Secondly the fact that if one compares the first names in the Fibiger family history in Denmark, and the first names in the Fiebiger-Seydler family going back to 1520, there are many first names identical. For instance Friedrich, Gottfried(Gotfred), Christian and Johan(Johannes and Johanne) - these names appear again and again, no matter where you look in the world.

Fibigers in Denmark

The living Danish Fibigers are decendents of the brothers Gottfried Fibiger, Adolf Fibiger, Christian Fibiger (1667-04.05.1720) and Johan Friedrich Fibiger (o.1680-1738) and maybe a fifth brother Wolf Adam Fibiger. The brothers came to Denmark around 1700 to work as musicians at the Royal Danish court. See the Fibiger-Dagnæs Family Tree (PDF) for further details.

The reason why that we in Denmark have extensive knowledge about our ancestors is that around 1920 the rumor was that a Fibiger had struck gold in the US and that there were a lot of money to be inherited. This motivated the family to explore our family history. However, no rich uncle in the US turned up, but we got a lot of knowledge about the family history in stead.

Here is a list of the most known members of the Fibiger family. In Denmark, streets and trains are named after some of these relatives:

Johann Friedrich Fibiger - Composer & Musician (1680-1738)

Johan Friederich Fibiger was employed in the Royal Chapel after F. Hartmanns death in 1703, but already in 1698 he had become employed as Guitar Master for three years, and was most likely also a lutenist. He was the teacher of Princess Charlotte Amalie, Fredrick IVs daughter, in lute and guitar playing.

Listen to samples of his music:
"Op, op, min ånd" (from Sonata a-minor)
"La Chasse d'HirschHolm" & "Bouree" (from "Hunting Suite")

Mathilde Lucie Fibiger - Writer (1830-1872) She initiated the Women's Rights Movement in Denmark through her book Clara Raphael. She was particularly aware of the "inner emancipation". Daguerreotype 1853. (The Royal Library). After Clara Raphael there followed several refutations.

Johannes Andreas Grib Fibiger - Scientist (1867-1928) He was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1926, for his work on cancer.

Jørgen Nis Fibiger (1867-1936) Master of Engineering, participating in several important constructions, such as the harbours of Hirtshals and Hanstholm. His genius was equally employed on the Faroe Islands, in the lignite pits of Jutland and within the Danish State Railways (DSB). He was involved, too, in the coast protection projects along the west coast of Jutland and the land tongues of the Limfjord. Jørgen Fibiger worked as projecting and directing engineer and contractor until his death in 1936 in Hirtshals.

References:
The Danish Fibiger Family History Book (Amalie Fibiger: slægtens ældste, hoftrompeterens gren, hofviolonens gren, stadsmusikantens gren. København: Nordlundes bogtrykkeri, 1949.)
Walther Fibiger, Canada

Updated 01 April 2010