NameCensus.

UK surname

Faichney

A variant surname derived from an ancient Scots Gaelic name of unknown meaning.

In the 1881 census there were 214 people recorded with the Faichney surname, ranking it #12,284 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 299, ranked #14,770, down from #12,284 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Alva, Dunblane and Lecropt and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackford, West Mains and Mayfield Road, Methil Methilhill and Dairsie Ceres and Dunino.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Faichney is 328 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.7%.

1881 census count

214

Ranked #12,284

Modern count

299

2016, ranked #14,770

Peak year

2009

328 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Faichney had 214 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,284 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 299 in 2016, ranked #14,770.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 301 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Faichney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Faichney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Faichney 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 160 #12,347
1861 historical 136 #16,556
1881 historical 214 #12,284
1891 historical 274 #11,880
1901 historical 301 #11,627
1911 historical 43 #28,581
1997 modern 281 #14,110
1998 modern 310 #13,578
1999 modern 297 #14,053
2000 modern 297 #14,008
2001 modern 292 #13,967
2002 modern 305 #13,865
2003 modern 309 #13,559
2004 modern 310 #13,589
2005 modern 322 #13,175
2006 modern 319 #13,318
2007 modern 313 #13,648
2008 modern 321 #13,516
2009 modern 328 #13,574
2010 modern 325 #13,946
2011 modern 316 #14,092
2012 modern 304 #14,388
2013 modern 311 #14,368
2014 modern 309 #14,533
2015 modern 301 #14,727
2016 modern 299 #14,770

Geography

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Where Faichneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Alva, Dunblane and Lecropt, Edinburgh, Crieff and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackford, West Mains and Mayfield Road, Methil Methilhill, Dairsie Ceres and Dunino, Scarborough and Auchterarder. 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 Alva Stirling
2 Dunblane and Lecropt Perth
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Crieff Perth
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackford, West Mains and Mayfield Road City of Edinburgh
2 Methil Methilhill Fife
3 Dairsie Ceres and Dunino Fife
4 Scarborough 004 Scarborough
5 Auchterarder Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Faichney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Faichney

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Faichney, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Faichney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Faichney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Faichney is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Faichney is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Faichney falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Faichney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Faichney

The surname Faichney has its origins in the Scottish Lowlands, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Scots Gaelic word "faichne," which translates to "marsh" or "bog," suggesting that the name may have been initially associated with someone who lived near or worked on a marshy area.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Faichney, who was recorded in the Burgh Records of Irvine, Ayrshire, in 1587. This suggests that the name had established itself in the southwestern region of Scotland by the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Faichney family appears to have spread to other parts of Scotland, with records showing individuals with the surname in various parishes and burghs. For instance, a Thomas Faichney was mentioned in the Parish Records of Anstruther Easter, Fife, in 1628, indicating the name's presence in the eastern coastal regions.

While the Faichney surname does not appear in notable historical records such as the Domesday Book, it has been associated with a few notable individuals throughout the centuries. One such person was Robert Faichney, a Scottish clergyman who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He served as the minister of Avendale Parish in Lanarkshire from 1696 until his death in 1730.

Another notable bearer of the Faichney name was James Faichney, a Scottish merchant and landowner who lived in the 18th century. He was a prominent figure in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, and owned several properties in the area.

In the 19th century, the Faichney surname continued to be found across various regions of Scotland. One individual of note was William Faichney, a Scottish poet and author who was born in Greenock, Renfrewshire, in 1831. He published several works of poetry and prose during his lifetime, including "The Greenock Lays" and "Poems and Songs."

Another notable Faichney was John Faichney, a Scottish architect who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Glasgow, including the former Govan Burgh Chambers, which was completed in 1901.

While the Faichney surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to immigration and migration patterns. However, its origins and earliest recorded instances can be traced back to the Scottish Lowlands, where it likely emerged as a descriptive name associated with those who lived or worked in marshy areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Faichney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Faichney 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. Perthshire leads with 77 Faichneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 81.80x.

County Total Index
Perthshire 77 81.80x
Lanarkshire 40 5.90x
Stirlingshire 27 34.91x
Midlothian 25 8.90x
Selkirkshire 21 110.70x
Caernarfonshire 7 8.25x
Clackmannanshire 7 40.42x
Inverness-shire 4 6.39x
Berwickshire 3 11.81x
Angus 1 0.51x
Isle of Man 1 2.57x
Renfrewshire 1 0.62x
Roxburghshire 1 2.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Auchterarder in Perthshire leads with 31 Faichneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1178.71x.

Place Total Index
Auchterarder 31 1178.71x
Alva 16 433.60x
Crieff 13 371.43x
Glasgow 12 9.96x
Muthill 12 975.61x
New Monkland 12 59.85x
Barony 11 6.41x
Galashiels 10 142.65x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 8 120.30x
Bettws Y Coed 7 1250.00x
Cockpen 6 182.93x
Denny 6 145.99x
Dunblane 6 266.67x
Yarrow 6 1304.35x
Perth East Church 5 56.37x
Perth St Pauls 5 229.36x
Selkirk 5 93.46x
Alloa 4 47.62x
Duddingston 4 70.92x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 3.54x
Govan 4 2.38x
Killearn 4 493.83x
Strath 4 210.53x
Chirnside 3 275.23x
Tillicoultry 3 77.92x
Tibbermore 2 148.15x
Blackford 1 86.96x
Colinton 1 31.95x
Dalkeith 1 18.05x
Edinburgh Old Church 1 44.25x
Forfar 1 9.51x
Hamilton 1 5.29x
Lezayre 1 57.14x
Madderty 1 263.16x
Paisley High Church 1 7.73x
Stirling 1 10.26x
Stitchel 1 400.00x
Weem 1 294.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Augusta 1
Janet 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Ebenezer 1
James 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Faichney households.

FAQ

Faichney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Faichney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 214 people were recorded with the Faichney surname. That placed it at #12,284 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Faichney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 299 in 2016. That gives Faichney a modern rank of #14,770.

What does the Faichney surname mean?

A variant surname derived from an ancient Scots Gaelic name of unknown meaning.

What does the Faichney map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Faichney 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.