NameCensus.

UK surname

Fairall

A variant of the locative surname derived from a place name meaning "fair hill" or "beautiful hill."

In the 1881 census there were 172 people recorded with the Fairall surname, ranking it #14,163 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 247, ranked #16,955, down from #14,163 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newchurch, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaby, Shropshire and Westminster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fairall is 293 in 2004. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.6%.

1881 census count

172

Ranked #14,163

Modern count

247

2016, ranked #16,955

Peak year

2004

293 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fairall had 172 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,163 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 247 in 2016, ranked #16,955.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 275 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Fairall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fairall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fairall 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 117 #15,456
1861 historical 156 #14,813
1881 historical 172 #14,163
1891 historical 213 #14,269
1901 historical 262 #12,740
1911 historical 275 #12,123
1997 modern 258 #14,949
1998 modern 275 #14,715
1999 modern 283 #14,501
2000 modern 283 #14,488
2001 modern 272 #14,654
2002 modern 281 #14,619
2003 modern 271 #14,787
2004 modern 293 #14,082
2005 modern 283 #14,343
2006 modern 277 #14,667
2007 modern 276 #14,855
2008 modern 277 #14,940
2009 modern 276 #15,300
2010 modern 280 #15,485
2011 modern 263 #16,058
2012 modern 256 #16,253
2013 modern 255 #16,551
2014 modern 255 #16,682
2015 modern 251 #16,756
2016 modern 247 #16,955

Geography

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Where Fairalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newchurch, London parishes, St Pancras, Horley, Leigh and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaby, Shropshire, Westminster, Hastings and Walsall. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Horley, Leigh Surrey
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaby 010 Blaby
2 Shropshire 029 Shropshire
3 Westminster 002 Westminster
4 Hastings 010 Hastings
5 Walsall 003 Walsall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fairall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fairall

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fairall, 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 Fairall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Fairall 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Fairall is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fairall is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fairall falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Fairall

The surname Fairall is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name or geographical feature.

One theory suggests that the name Fairall may be derived from the Old English words "faer" meaning "journey" or "passage" and "halh" meaning "nook" or "corner." This could indicate that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a corner or nook along a well-traveled route or passage.

Another possibility is that Fairall is a variant spelling of the place name "Fairholme," which is found in various locations across England. This place name is believed to come from the Old English words "faeger" meaning "fair" or "beautiful" and "holmr" meaning "island" or "river meadow."

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the Fairall surname date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. For example, in 1587, a John Fairall was mentioned in the parish records of Steeple Bumpstead, Essex. Additionally, in 1647, a Thomas Fairall was recorded in the registers of St. Dionis Backchurch, London.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Fairall include:

1. William Fairall (1820-1898), an English artist known for his landscape paintings. 2. George Fairall (1835-1908), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London. 3. Edmund Fairall (1860-1932), an Australian politician who served as a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council. 4. John Fairall (1934-2020), a British astronomer and astrophysicist known for his contributions to the study of active galactic nuclei. 5. Rory Fairall (born 1985), a South African rugby union player who has represented the Sharks and the Natal Sharks in domestic competitions.

While the exact origins of the Fairall surname may remain somewhat uncertain, it is clear that the name has a long and rich history, with roots that can be traced back to medieval England and a possible connection to place names or geographical features.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fairall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fairall 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. Middlesex leads with 48 Fairalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.86x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 48 2.86x
Surrey 42 5.14x
Hampshire 30 8.72x
Sussex 28 9.90x
Lancashire 7 0.35x
Cheshire 6 1.62x
Kent 3 0.52x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.88x
Leicestershire 2 1.08x
Staffordshire 2 0.35x
Carmarthenshire 1 1.41x
Wiltshire 1 0.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Caterham in Surrey leads with 23 Fairalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 637.12x.

Place Total Index
Caterham 23 637.12x
Ryde 22 297.70x
Islington London 11 6.76x
Mile End Old Town London 9 25.20x
St Pancras London 9 6.66x
Warbleton 9 1071.43x
Bromley London 8 21.67x
Leigh 8 2666.67x
Ninfield 8 2285.71x
Edmonton 7 51.78x
Rusholme 7 131.83x
Hellingly 5 526.32x
Banstead 4 180.18x
Bollin Fee 4 243.90x
Carisbrooke 4 83.86x
Hartfield 3 337.08x
Aldershot 2 17.36x
Battersea 2 3.24x
Cudham 2 338.98x
Disley Stanley 2 104.71x
Dorking 2 36.43x
Hastings St Mary 2 28.41x
Leicester St Margaret 2 4.41x
March 2 56.18x
St Stephen Coleman Street 2 338.98x
Wolverhampton 2 4.59x
Battle 1 52.36x
Bromley 1 11.47x
Carmarthen St Peter 1 16.56x
Charlwood 1 128.21x
Croydon 1 2.20x
Holdenhurst 1 11.09x
Horley 1 72.99x
Salisbury St Thomas 1 84.75x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.38x
St Helens 1 40.00x
Westminster St Margaret 1 12.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 6
Elizabeth 5
Emily 5
Emma 5
Mary 5
Ann 4
Caroline 4
Florence 4
Jane 4
Louisa 3
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Harriet 2
Julia 2
Maud 2
A. 1
Ahan 1
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Avice 1
Bessy 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Ethel 1
Harriete 1
Helena 1
Isabella 1
Lavina 1
Lena 1
Lillias 1
Lois 1
Lucy 1
Luizea 1
Lydia 1
Marie 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1
Mima 1
Minnie 1
Miranda 1
Naomi 1
Phillis 1
Rebecca 1
Rosa 1
Ruth 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
George 8
John 7
James 6
Thomas 5
Charles 4
Albert 3
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Adolphus 2
Benjamin 2
David 2
E. 2
Geo. 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Abel 1
Arthur 1
Augustus 1
Bernard 1
Ebenezer 1
Fred.Henry 1
G.H. 1
Gustavus 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Jonathan 1
Matthew 1
Percy 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Fairall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fairall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 172 people were recorded with the Fairall surname. That placed it at #14,163 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fairall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 247 in 2016. That gives Fairall a modern rank of #16,955.

What does the Fairall surname mean?

A variant of the locative surname derived from a place name meaning "fair hill" or "beautiful hill."

What does the Fairall map show?

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