NameCensus.

UK surname

Facey

A medieval nickname for someone with a bright or cheerful expression.

In the 1881 census there were 585 people recorded with the Facey surname, ranking it #5,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,385, ranked #4,367, up from #5,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, Cornwall and North Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Facey is 1,422 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 136.8%.

1881 census count

585

Ranked #5,965

Modern count

1,385

2016, ranked #4,367

Peak year

2014

1,422 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Facey had 585 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,385 in 2016, ranked #4,367.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 921 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Facey surname distribution map

The map shows where the Facey surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Facey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Facey over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 448 #5,502
1861 historical 437 #5,898
1881 historical 585 #5,965
1891 historical 652 #5,956
1901 historical 797 #5,671
1911 historical 921 #4,863
1997 modern 1,181 #4,780
1998 modern 1,220 #4,822
1999 modern 1,245 #4,763
2000 modern 1,251 #4,734
2001 modern 1,223 #4,728
2002 modern 1,233 #4,785
2003 modern 1,248 #4,645
2004 modern 1,283 #4,538
2005 modern 1,289 #4,462
2006 modern 1,282 #4,497
2007 modern 1,268 #4,578
2008 modern 1,277 #4,581
2009 modern 1,329 #4,522
2010 modern 1,369 #4,490
2011 modern 1,373 #4,426
2012 modern 1,346 #4,431
2013 modern 1,397 #4,381
2014 modern 1,422 #4,340
2015 modern 1,398 #4,355
2016 modern 1,385 #4,367

Geography

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Where Faceys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, London parishes, St Philip and Jacob and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Somerset, Cornwall, North Devon, Lewisham and North Norfolk. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 022 South Somerset
2 Cornwall 028 Cornwall
3 North Devon 013 North Devon
4 Lewisham 024 Lewisham
5 North Norfolk 003 North Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Facey

These lists show first names that appear often with the Facey surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Facey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Facey, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Facey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Facey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Facey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Facey is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Facey falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Facey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Facey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Facey

The surname Facey has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "face," which means "face" or "countenance." The name likely originated as a nickname or descriptive name for someone with a distinctive facial feature or expression.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hearth Tax records of 1673, where a John Facey is listed as a resident of Worcestershire. The name also appears in various parish records from the 16th and 17th centuries across counties like Devon, Somerset, and Gloucestershire.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a land survey commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct references to the surname Facey. However, there are mentions of place names that may be related, such as Faceby in Yorkshire, which could have been the origin of a locational surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Facey throughout history include:

1. John Facey (1577-1641), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge from 1624 until his death.

2. Thomas Facey (1805-1884), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the former Lambeth Palace Library.

3. Phillip Facey (1835-1912), a British civil engineer and surveyor who oversaw the construction of several railway lines in India during the latter half of the 19th century.

4. Reginald Facey (1879-1951), an Australian cricketer who played domestic cricket for New South Wales in the early 20th century.

5. Percival Facey (1913-1982), a Jamaican politician and lawyer who served as the Minister of Education and Youth in the 1960s and played a significant role in reforming the island's education system.

The name Facey has also been associated with various place names and older spellings, such as Facewell in Northamptonshire, Facebury in Wiltshire, and Facehay in Staffordshire, all of which could have contributed to the development of the surname over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Facey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Facey surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 184 Faceys recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.57x.

County Total Index
Devon 184 15.57x
Middlesex 76 1.34x
Gloucestershire 50 4.49x
Somerset 44 4.81x
Bedfordshire 41 13.95x
Cornwall 31 4.82x
Surrey 25 0.90x
Nottinghamshire 21 2.74x
Glamorgan 14 1.42x
Hampshire 12 1.03x
Warwickshire 12 0.84x
Kent 11 0.57x
Staffordshire 9 0.47x
Lancashire 8 0.12x
Worcestershire 8 1.08x
Durham 7 0.41x
Monmouthshire 7 1.71x
Huntingdonshire 5 4.44x
Northamptonshire 5 0.94x
Yorkshire 4 0.07x
Dorset 2 0.54x
Royal Navy 2 2.96x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.28x
Channel Islands 1 0.59x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Essex 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 21 Faceys recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.03x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Philip Jacob 21 20.03x
Islington London 20 3.63x
Plymouth St Andrew 18 19.77x
Bishops Tawton 16 433.60x
Stoke Damerel 16 19.34x
Bristol St Paul In 15 50.57x
Chard 15 135.50x
Bulkworthy 13 5909.09x
Goldington 13 1150.44x
Aston 12 3.04x
Callington 12 320.86x
Colyton 11 242.29x
East Stonehouse 11 47.25x
St Marylebone London 11 3.63x
Camberwell 10 2.76x
Cople 9 1011.24x
Radford Lenton 9 473.68x
St Winnow 9 409.09x
Wolborough 9 60.24x
Bedford St Peter 8 104.71x
Bridgewater 8 32.25x
Buckfastleigh 8 146.79x
Burnham 8 114.78x
Exeter St Sidwell 8 29.56x
Hendon 8 39.16x
St Pancras London 8 1.75x
Tavistock 8 59.44x
Worcester Blockhouse 8 196.56x
Chittlehampton 7 240.55x
Mansfield 7 26.44x
Monk Hesleden 7 148.62x
Roath 7 15.59x
Tawstock 7 333.33x
Lambeth 6 1.21x
Llandaff 6 18.24x
St Germans 6 133.93x
Tottenham 6 6.64x
Abergavenny 5 32.53x
Bristol St James In 5 30.54x
Clerkenwell London 5 3.73x
Greenwich 5 5.53x
Highweek 5 118.76x
Hulme 5 3.56x
Ilfracombe 5 41.08x
Kingswinford 5 7.19x
Luton 5 9.83x
Northampton All Sts 5 27.59x
Nottingham St Mary 5 2.53x
St Mary Kalendar 5 206.61x
Tormoham 5 10.00x
Warboys 5 153.37x
Barnstaple 4 21.56x
Biddenham 4 666.67x
Chelsea London 4 2.34x
Plymstock 4 64.62x
South Molton 4 61.63x
Southcoates 4 12.81x
St John Winchester 4 163.93x
Tamworth 4 39.02x
Taunton St James 4 30.01x
Battersea 3 1.44x
Cheltenham 3 3.49x
Lydney 3 52.17x
Plymouth Charles The 3 5.76x
Rotherhithe 3 4.28x
Swimbridge 3 125.52x
Bedford St Paul 2 9.92x
Bedminster 2 2.33x
Bethnal Green London 2 0.81x
Combmartin 2 77.82x
Cullompton 2 38.76x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.34x
Dorchester All Sts 2 112.36x
Hopwood 2 22.70x
Lewisham 2 1.94x
Royal Navy 2 3.46x
Sherwill 2 250.00x
St Budeaux 2 54.35x
West Buckland 2 113.64x
Westminster St John 2 2.89x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Facey surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 31
Emma 21
Jane 14
Sarah 14
Ann 11
Eliza 11
Alice 10
Emily 10
Annie 9
Charlotte 8
Ellen 7
Laura 6
Elizth. 5
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Florence 4
Harriet 4
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Harriett 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Rebecca 3
Rosa 3
Rose 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Grace 2
Isabella 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Lavinia 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Maud 2
Nellie 2
Ruth 2
Bridget 1
Catharine 1
Emmie 1
Ethel 1
Etty 1
Lillie 1
Lilly 1
Tryphane 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Facey surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 38
John 33
James 24
George 19
Thomas 17
Alfred 10
Frederick 10
Henry 10
Charles 9
Edward 7
Joseph 7
Richard 7
Samuel 6
Edwin 5
Frank 5
Walter 5
Arthur 4
Ernest 4
Abraham 3
Albert 3
Daniel 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Hugh 3
Robert 3
Sidney 3
David 2
Francis 2
Roderick 2
Arther 1
Clement 1
Edmund 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Harley 1
Hearward 1
Henri 1
Lional 1
Matthew 1
Neville 1
Nicholas 1
Paul 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Powner 1
Reginald 1
Simon 1
Sydney 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Facey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Facey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 585 people were recorded with the Facey surname. That placed it at #5,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Facey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,385 in 2016. That gives Facey a modern rank of #4,367.

What does the Facey surname mean?

A medieval nickname for someone with a bright or cheerful expression.

What does the Facey map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Facey bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.