NameCensus.

UK surname

Failes

An anglicized rendering of the Irish surname Ó Fáthaidh, meaning descendant of Fáthaidh, a personal name derived from the word "fáth" meaning cause or reason.

In the 1881 census there were 89 people recorded with the Failes surname, ranking it #21,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, down from #21,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Tilney St Lawrence and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Stockton-on-Tees and Havant.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Failes is 121 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.7%.

1881 census count

89

Ranked #21,091

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

1901

121 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Failes had 89 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016, ranked #29,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 121 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Failes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Failes surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Failes 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 61 #22,412
1861 historical 56 #26,864
1881 historical 89 #21,091
1891 historical 85 #26,080
1901 historical 121 #20,444
1911 historical 119 #20,535
1997 modern 116 #24,688
1998 modern 115 #25,466
1999 modern 111 #26,182
2000 modern 104 #27,150
2001 modern 104 #26,765
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 100 #27,722
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 107 #26,875
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 112 #26,800
2008 modern 112 #27,061
2009 modern 109 #28,145
2010 modern 110 #28,666
2011 modern 110 #28,478
2012 modern 105 #29,362
2013 modern 104 #30,076
2014 modern 108 #29,658
2015 modern 110 #29,157
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

Back to top

Where Failes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Tilney St Lawrence, Gateshead, Wiggenhall St Peter and St Mary Magdalen and Watlington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Stockton-on-Tees, Havant, Broadland and Stroud. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Tilney St Lawrence Cambridgeshire
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Wiggenhall St Peter and St Mary Magdalen Norfolk
5 Watlington Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 005 Doncaster
2 Stockton-on-Tees 003 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Havant 009 Havant
4 Broadland 009 Broadland
5 Stroud 015 Stroud

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Failes

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Failes

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Failes, 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 Failes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Failes 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

London Fringe

Within London, Failes is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Failes is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Failes 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 Failes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Failes

The surname FAILES originated in England during the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "faile," meaning a young doe or fawn. The name likely referred to someone who lived near an enclosure for keeping fawns or was particularly fond of deer.

One of the earliest recorded references to the FAILES surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, which mentions a William Failes. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, listing a Richard Fayles as a landowner.

During the 13th century, the name was primarily concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. Variations in spelling included Fayles, Faylis, and Failis, reflecting the regional dialects of the time.

In the 14th century, the FAILES surname can be found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a John Fayles is recorded in 1317. This suggests that the name had begun to spread beyond its origins in the southwest of England.

One notable bearer of the FAILES surname was Sir Robert Fayles (1420-1489), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the City of London. He served as Lord Mayor of London in 1472 and was a benefactor of the Mercers' Company.

Another historical figure with the FAILES name was William Failes (1556-1621), a clergyman and author from Warwickshire. He wrote several theological works and served as the rector of Stratford-upon-Avon, where he is believed to have known William Shakespeare.

In the 17th century, the FAILES surname can be found in the parish records of Staffordshire, where a Thomas Failes was baptized in 1643 in the village of Uttoxeter.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the FAILES surname in North America dates back to 1635, when a John Failes is listed as arriving in Virginia aboard the ship "Safety."

Other notable individuals with the FAILES surname include:

1. Edward Failes (1783-1857), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. 2. Margaret Failes (1848-1925), an Australian artist and painter known for her landscapes and portraits. 3. James Failes (1871-1942), a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. 4. Robert Failes (1900-1978), a British actor and playwright who appeared in several films and television shows during the mid-20th century. 5. Emily Failes (born 1985), an American author and illustrator of children's books, including the award-winning "The Rabbit's Coat."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Failes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Failes 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. Norfolk leads with 56 Failes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.96x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 56 41.96x
Middlesex 20 2.30x
Durham 11 4.26x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.82x
Suffolk 1 0.95x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tilney St Lawrence in Norfolk leads with 27 Failes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 12857.14x.

Place Total Index
Tilney St Lawrence 27 12857.14x
Westminster St John 11 104.07x
Welney 10 3225.81x
Watlington 8 4444.44x
Gateshead 7 36.21x
Kensington London 5 10.36x
Bishopwearmouth 3 13.54x
Castle Rising 3 3000.00x
South Lynn 3 198.68x
Wiggenhall St Mary 3 1428.57x
Shoreditch London 2 5.32x
Tilney All Sts 2 1176.47x
Clerkenwell London 1 4.88x
Lound 1 769.23x
Monkwearmouth Shore 1 19.84x
St George Hanover 1 8.83x
Wisbech St Peter 1 36.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Elizabeth 4
Jane 3
Sarah 3
Agnes 2
Eliza 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Christena 1
Clarissa 1
Edith 1
Elvinah 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Rachael 1
Rhoda 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Failes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Failes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 89 people were recorded with the Failes surname. That placed it at #21,091 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Failes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016. That gives Failes a modern rank of #29,049.

What does the Failes surname mean?

An anglicized rendering of the Irish surname Ó Fáthaidh, meaning descendant of Fáthaidh, a personal name derived from the word "fáth" meaning cause or reason.

What does the Failes map show?

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