NameCensus.

UK surname

Fair

An English and Scottish surname derived from the Saxon word "fager," meaning lovely, beautiful, or pleasant.

In the 1881 census there were 1,060 people recorded with the Fair surname, ranking it #3,717 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,297, ranked #4,617, down from #3,717 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Coldingham, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Coupar Angus and Meigle, Colchester and Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fair is 1,327 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.4%.

1881 census count

1,060

Ranked #3,717

Modern count

1,297

2016, ranked #4,617

Peak year

1998

1,327 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fair had 1,060 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,717 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,297 in 2016, ranked #4,617.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,168 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Fair surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fair surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fair 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 754 #3,526
1861 historical 736 #3,710
1881 historical 1,060 #3,717
1891 historical 1,062 #3,954
1901 historical 1,168 #4,183
1911 historical 905 #4,931
1997 modern 1,274 #4,473
1998 modern 1,327 #4,468
1999 modern 1,321 #4,537
2000 modern 1,293 #4,603
2001 modern 1,277 #4,555
2002 modern 1,290 #4,607
2003 modern 1,237 #4,687
2004 modern 1,266 #4,596
2005 modern 1,236 #4,641
2006 modern 1,238 #4,648
2007 modern 1,231 #4,723
2008 modern 1,230 #4,753
2009 modern 1,251 #4,772
2010 modern 1,279 #4,771
2011 modern 1,255 #4,799
2012 modern 1,227 #4,824
2013 modern 1,265 #4,780
2014 modern 1,274 #4,764
2015 modern 1,275 #4,718
2016 modern 1,297 #4,617

Geography

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Where Fairs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Coldingham, London parishes, Edinburgh and St Dunstan Stepney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Coupar Angus and Meigle, Colchester, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Cheshire West and Chester and North Dorset. 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 Coldingham Berwick
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Coupar Angus and Meigle Perth and Kinross
2 Colchester 016 Colchester
3 Newcastle-under-Lyme 016 Newcastle-under-Lyme
4 Cheshire West and Chester 046 Cheshire West and Chester
5 North Dorset 001 North Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fair

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fair

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Fair surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Fair household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Fair 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

Fair is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fair falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fair 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 Fair, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fair

The surname FAIR is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "faeger," meaning "beautiful" or "fair-haired." It first emerged as a surname in the 12th century, primarily used as a descriptive name for someone with a fair or light complexion.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname FAIR can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were a census of households and landowners in England. One entry mentions a Roger le Fayre from Oxfordshire. The surname was also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a John le Fayre was listed.

During the Middle Ages, the FAIR surname was associated with several notable individuals. One such person was John Fair, a 14th-century English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Winchester from 1389 to 1404. Another was Thomas Fair, a 15th-century English philosopher and theologian who taught at the University of Oxford.

In Scotland, the FAIR surname can be traced back to the 13th century, with the earliest known bearer being William le Fayre, who was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296. This document recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

The FAIR surname also has a connection to several place names in England, such as Fairfield, Fairford, and Fairhaven. These places likely derived their names from the Old English word "faeger," suggesting that the FAIR surname may have originated in or near these locations.

Throughout history, there have been several prominent individuals with the surname FAIR. One notable figure was Robert Fair (1637-1712), a Scottish philosopher and theologian who served as the Principal of the University of St Andrews. Another was Thomas Fair (1668-1737), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.

Other notable bearers of the FAIR surname include:

1. Andrew Fair (1845-1912), a Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist. 2. Christine Fair (born 1973), an American political scientist and South Asia expert. 3. Jeffrey Fair (born 1956), an American actor and television producer. 4. Nigel Fair (born 1944), an English actor and television presenter. 5. Thomas Fair (1804-1885), an English inventor and engineer known for his work on steam engines.

The FAIR surname has a rich history, reflecting its origins as a descriptive name for someone with a fair or light complexion. Its presence in various historical records and its association with notable individuals across different fields highlight the enduring legacy of this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fair families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fair 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. Lancashire leads with 159 Fairs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.31x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 159 1.31x
Middlesex 136 1.33x
Surrey 92 1.85x
Fife 59 9.74x
Midlothian 58 4.23x
Durham 50 1.64x
Lanarkshire 41 1.24x
Roxburghshire 37 19.96x
Berwickshire 31 25.02x
Devon 31 1.46x
Kent 29 0.83x
Cheshire 28 1.24x
Northumberland 27 1.77x
Essex 25 1.24x
Hampshire 21 1.00x
Perthshire 21 4.57x
Angus 18 1.90x
Renfrewshire 17 2.14x
Gloucestershire 16 0.80x
Selkirkshire 13 14.04x
Yorkshire 13 0.13x
Dumfriesshire 12 5.31x
Stirlingshire 12 3.18x
Sussex 12 0.70x
Worcestershire 10 0.75x
Warwickshire 9 0.35x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 4.73x
Wiltshire 7 0.77x
Ayrshire 6 0.78x
Leicestershire 6 0.53x
Northamptonshire 5 0.52x
Berkshire 4 0.52x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.93x
Derbyshire 4 0.25x
Staffordshire 4 0.12x
Anglesey 3 1.65x
Herefordshire 3 0.72x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.73x
Hertfordshire 2 0.28x
Kinross-shire 2 7.73x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.15x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.16x
Cornwall 1 0.09x
Cumberland 1 0.11x
Dorset 1 0.15x
East Lothian 1 0.74x
Flintshire 1 0.36x
Lincolnshire 1 0.06x
Peeblesshire 1 2.08x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.31x
Royal Navy 1 0.82x
Suffolk 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 41 Fairs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.60x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 41 4.60x
Mile End Old Town London 29 13.32x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 25 4.53x
Bishopwearmouth 22 8.42x
Camberwell 20 3.06x
Coldingham 17 152.60x
South Leith 17 11.02x
Hammersmith London 14 5.55x
Kirkdale 14 6.85x
Alverstoke 13 17.12x
Bermondsey 13 4.27x
Chelsea London 13 4.22x
Liverpool 12 1.63x
Manchester 12 2.20x
Auchterderran 11 72.23x
Barony 11 1.31x
Closeburn 11 208.73x
Cupar 11 41.76x
Abbey 10 8.26x
Alva 10 55.56x
Aughton 10 83.19x
Charlton Kings 10 72.05x
Dawdon 10 26.71x
Dundee 10 2.83x
Govan 10 1.22x
Kensington London 10 1.76x
Kingston On Thames 10 8.35x
Perth West Church 10 45.89x
Shoreditch London 10 2.25x
St Marylebone London 10 1.83x
Toxteth Park 10 2.43x
Warrington 10 6.95x
Wilton 10 49.16x
Great Bolton 9 5.60x
Lytham 9 48.54x
Wigan 9 5.30x
Bethnal Green London 8 1.80x
Collumpton 8 808.08x
Cullompton 8 86.02x
Hastings St Leonards 8 31.55x
Kings Norton 8 6.68x
Liff Benvie 8 5.56x
Monks Coppenhall 8 9.39x
Morebattle 8 225.99x
Auchtermuchty 7 86.00x
Bradford On Avon 7 24.16x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 3.63x
Dysart 7 17.16x
Galashiels 7 20.46x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 5.31x
Inveresk 7 18.86x
Jedburgh 7 38.53x
Portsea 7 1.70x
Brentwood 6 48.70x
Dunse 6 51.06x
Formby 6 43.64x
Galston 6 28.65x
Greenwich 6 3.68x
Irongray 6 218.18x
Paisley High Church 6 9.50x
Tormoham 6 6.66x
Woolwich 6 4.65x
Abbotshall 5 22.09x
Aston 5 0.70x
Barton Upon Irwell 5 5.47x
Bobbingworth 5 471.70x
Bothwell 5 5.57x
Bow London 5 3.84x
Cadder 5 20.46x
Everton 5 1.29x
Kinghorn 5 38.88x
Little Neston 5 138.12x
Manningham 5 4.00x
New Monkland 5 5.11x
Northampton St Sepulchre 5 10.21x
Strathmiglo 5 69.06x
Westgate 5 5.30x
Westoe 5 2.90x
Whitechapel London 5 4.96x
Woodplumpton 5 115.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 45
Elizabeth 24
Jane 22
Sarah 21
Ellen 14
Margaret 14
Annie 13
Eliza 11
Alice 10
Emma 10
Ann 9
Louisa 8
Agnes 7
Emily 7
Susan 6
Catherine 5
Gertrude 5
Hannah 5
Isabella 5
Maria 5
Matilda 5
Anne 4
Fanny 4
Ada 3
Beatrice 3
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Ethel 3
Harriet 3
Harriett 3
Janet 3
Jessie 3
Kate 3
Laura 3
Lucy 3
Amy 2
Bridget 2
Christian 2
Florence 2
Julia 2
Maud 2
Minnie 2
Robina 2
Rose 2
Elizeth 1
Elonara 1
Emilia 1
Ida 1
Winniefred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 43
William 36
George 28
James 28
Thomas 21
Robert 16
Charles 13
Henry 11
Frederick 9
Joseph 9
Harry 8
Walter 7
Samuel 6
Edward 5
Frank 5
Herbert 5
Richard 5
Albert 4
Alexander 4
Arthur 3
David 3
Francis 3
Benjamin 2
Cecil 2
Edwd. 2
Edwin 2
J. 2
Mathew 2
Michael 2
Nathaniel 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Ralph 2
Thos. 2
Baby 1
Charley 1
Christopher 1
Cuthbert 1
Emanuel 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Augustus 1
Gordon 1
Jas. 1
Jas.T. 1
Margaret 1
Nelson 1
Nicholas 1
Nithian 1

FAQ

Fair surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fair surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,060 people were recorded with the Fair surname. That placed it at #3,717 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fair surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,297 in 2016. That gives Fair a modern rank of #4,617.

What does the Fair surname mean?

An English and Scottish surname derived from the Saxon word "fager," meaning lovely, beautiful, or pleasant.

What does the Fair map show?

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