NameCensus.

UK surname

Fairbank

A locational surname referring to someone from a place with a fair or light-colored riverbank.

In the 1881 census there were 671 people recorded with the Fairbank surname, ranking it #5,378 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 591, ranked #8,825, down from #5,378 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Halifax and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Calderdale, North Lincolnshire and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fairbank is 778 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.9%.

1881 census count

671

Ranked #5,378

Modern count

591

2016, ranked #8,825

Peak year

1911

778 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fairbank had 671 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,378 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 591 in 2016, ranked #8,825.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 778 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Fairbank surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fairbank surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Fairbank 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 451 #5,469
1861 historical 435 #5,918
1881 historical 671 #5,378
1891 historical 719 #5,487
1901 historical 748 #5,954
1911 historical 778 #5,585
1997 modern 590 #8,250
1998 modern 614 #8,252
1999 modern 633 #8,132
2000 modern 636 #8,069
2001 modern 610 #8,193
2002 modern 600 #8,465
2003 modern 572 #8,602
2004 modern 579 #8,550
2005 modern 580 #8,470
2006 modern 580 #8,497
2007 modern 593 #8,433
2008 modern 591 #8,512
2009 modern 590 #8,699
2010 modern 614 #8,638
2011 modern 613 #8,539
2012 modern 597 #8,640
2013 modern 603 #8,713
2014 modern 610 #8,692
2015 modern 599 #8,750
2016 modern 591 #8,825

Geography

Back to top

Where Fairbanks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Halifax and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Calderdale, North Lincolnshire, Rotherham and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Calderdale 026 Calderdale
2 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
3 North Lincolnshire 011 North Lincolnshire
4 Rotherham 029 Rotherham
5 Kingston upon Hull 010 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Fairbank

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Fairbank

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Fairbank is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Fairbank 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

Fairbank falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Fairbank

The surname Fairbank originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. Its earliest roots can be traced back to the 12th century, derived from the Old English words "faeger" meaning "fair, beautiful" and "banc" meaning "bank" or "ridge." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a pleasant bank or ridge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, where it appears as "Fairbankc." It is also mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296 as "Fairbanke." These early spellings highlight the variation in the name's spelling over time.

The Fairbank surname is closely associated with the Yorkshire region of England, where it was particularly prevalent in the medieval era. Some historical references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded landholdings across England after the Norman Conquest.

Notable individuals bearing the Fairbank surname throughout history include John Fairbank (1610-1671), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Brackley in the 17th century. Another notable figure was Nathaniel Fairbank (1739-1789), an American Baptist minister and educator who founded the Fairbank Society in 1767.

In the 19th century, Joseph Fairbank (1812-1900) was a prominent English manufacturer who established the Fairbank Canning Company, one of the earliest companies to commercially package and distribute canned goods. His son, Nathaniel Fairbank (1841-1921), carried on the family business and expanded its operations.

Across the Atlantic, Caleb Fairbank (1792-1864) was an American Baptist missionary who worked in Burma (now Myanmar) and played a significant role in the translation of the Bible into the Burmese language.

The Fairbank surname has also been associated with various places in England, such as Fairbank in Lancashire and Fairbanks in Yorkshire, which further highlights its historical roots in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Fairbank families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fairbank 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. Yorkshire leads with 319 Fairbanks recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.92x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 319 4.92x
Middlesex 80 1.22x
Lancashire 58 0.75x
Staffordshire 43 1.95x
Essex 39 3.02x
Surrey 31 0.97x
Cheshire 13 0.90x
Durham 12 0.62x
Warwickshire 12 0.73x
Kent 11 0.49x
Lincolnshire 9 0.86x
Northumberland 7 0.72x
Sussex 7 0.63x
Buckinghamshire 6 1.52x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.68x
Derbyshire 5 0.49x
Berkshire 4 0.81x
Leicestershire 2 0.28x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.24x
Cumberland 1 0.18x
Dorset 1 0.23x
Hampshire 1 0.07x
Lanarkshire 1 0.05x
Midlothian 1 0.11x
Norfolk 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Elland Cum Greetland in Yorkshire leads with 27 Fairbanks recorded in 1881 and an index of 92.40x.

Place Total Index
Elland Cum Greetland 27 92.40x
Barkisland 25 530.79x
Allerton 22 266.02x
Butterworth 21 110.99x
Manningham 20 25.03x
Golcar 15 87.46x
Idle 14 46.56x
Lambeth 13 2.28x
Scarborough 13 22.06x
Hackney London 12 3.27x
Stone 12 42.46x
Kensington London 11 3.02x
Soyland 11 141.39x
Birmingham 10 1.82x
Halstead 10 66.36x
Hampstead London 10 9.81x
Keyingham 10 704.23x
Bingley 9 21.79x
Bramley In Bramley 9 36.25x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 9 55.01x
Navestock 9 481.28x
St Luke London 9 8.57x
Barton Upon Irwell 8 13.68x
Bradford 8 5.09x
Burslem 8 12.64x
Everton 8 3.23x
Humbleton Flinton 8 888.89x
Willenhall 8 19.33x
Edmonton 7 13.27x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 7 12.04x
Tottenham 7 6.71x
Burnham 6 119.05x
Calverley Cum Farsley 6 32.57x
Doncaster 6 12.66x
Holy Trinity 6 3.85x
Keighley 6 8.68x
Shipley 6 17.83x
Sproatley Wyton 6 652.17x
Wednesbury 6 10.87x
Beverley St Martin 5 46.17x
Camberwell 5 1.20x
Chelmsford 5 22.55x
Chester St Mary On Hill 5 40.36x
Cottingham 5 35.77x
Erringden 5 119.33x
Ilkley 5 47.17x
Leeds 5 1.37x
Monks Coppenhall 5 9.17x
Nottingham St Mary 5 2.19x
Shincliffe 5 230.41x
Skipton 5 24.50x
St Pancras London 5 0.95x
Wrawby 5 176.68x
Croydon 4 2.26x
Helmington Row 4 44.10x
Islington London 4 0.63x
Little Maplestead 4 677.97x
New Windsor 4 24.21x
Openshaw 4 11.00x
Rochester St Margaret 4 16.99x
Rotherfield 4 41.15x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 3.04x
Wolverhampton 4 2.35x
Ardwick 3 4.28x
Belchamp Otten 3 400.00x
Burntwood Edial 3 21.26x
Bury 3 3.38x
Chelsea London 3 1.52x
Deptford St Paul 3 1.74x
Dewsbury 3 4.51x
Eccleshill 3 19.01x
Eyam 3 104.90x
Heeley 3 15.22x
Hove 3 6.20x
Isleworth 3 10.31x
Kingsnorth 3 218.98x
Manchester 3 0.86x
Newington 3 1.24x
Paddington London 3 1.25x
Sculcoates 3 2.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 52
Sarah 34
Elizabeth 18
Hannah 16
Ellen 12
Emma 12
Alice 11
Annie 11
Ann 10
Edith 10
Emily 9
Eliza 7
Louisa 7
Jane 6
Kate 5
Susannah 4
Ada 3
Amelia 3
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Dora 3
Elizth. 3
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Harriett 3
Lilly 3
Martha 3
Rebecca 3
Amy 2
Betty 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Ethel 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Marie 2
Nellie 2
Rose 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
E.I. 1
Edeth 1
Edla 1
Eleanor 1
Elizeabeth 1
Francess 1
Georgiana 1
Grace 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 32
John 29
George 24
James 23
Thomas 17
Henry 15
Joseph 11
Charles 9
Alfred 8
Arthur 8
Edward 8
David 7
Robert 7
Frank 6
Harry 6
Richard 6
Frederick 5
Samuel 5
Albert 4
Dan 4
Francis 4
Herbert 4
Christopher 3
Edwin 3
Fredk. 3
Sampson 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Ernest 2
Fred. 2
Isaac 2
Jonathan 2
Josiah 2
Louis 2
Oliver 2
Walter 2
Whiteley 2
Younger 2
Alonzo 1
Ben 1
Bennett 1
Briggs 1
Ebenezer 1
Edmund 1
Eli 1
Foster 1
Hugh 1
Humphrey 1
Hy. 1
Irvin 1

FAQ

Fairbank surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fairbank surname in 1881?

In 1881, 671 people were recorded with the Fairbank surname. That placed it at #5,378 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fairbank surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 591 in 2016. That gives Fairbank a modern rank of #8,825.

What does the Fairbank surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place with a fair or light-colored riverbank.

What does the Fairbank map show?

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