NameCensus.

UK surname

Fairbanks

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a hillside or riverbank of fair or pleasing appearance.

In the 1881 census there were 374 people recorded with the Fairbanks surname, ranking it #8,364 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 426, ranked #11,279, down from #8,364 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Alkmund, Wolstanton and Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Holland, Staffordshire Moorlands and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fairbanks is 484 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.9%.

1881 census count

374

Ranked #8,364

Modern count

426

2016, ranked #11,279

Peak year

2002

484 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fairbanks had 374 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,364 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 426 in 2016, ranked #11,279.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 451 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Fairbanks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fairbanks surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fairbanks 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 249 #8,816
1861 historical 241 #10,192
1881 historical 374 #8,364
1891 historical 331 #10,277
1901 historical 382 #9,775
1911 historical 451 #8,489
1997 modern 418 #10,648
1998 modern 475 #9,982
1999 modern 469 #10,139
2000 modern 479 #9,951
2001 modern 465 #9,993
2002 modern 484 #9,869
2003 modern 462 #10,045
2004 modern 454 #10,229
2005 modern 466 #9,935
2006 modern 465 #9,988
2007 modern 457 #10,205
2008 modern 460 #10,250
2009 modern 452 #10,629
2010 modern 458 #10,756
2011 modern 443 #10,924
2012 modern 419 #11,295
2013 modern 421 #11,462
2014 modern 420 #11,567
2015 modern 422 #11,409
2016 modern 426 #11,279

Geography

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Where Fairbanks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Alkmund, Wolstanton, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington, Treswell and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Holland, Staffordshire Moorlands, Barnsley and Newcastle-under-Lyme. 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 St Alkmund Derbyshire
2 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington Staffordshire
4 Treswell Nottinghamshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Holland 009 South Holland
2 Staffordshire Moorlands 012 Staffordshire Moorlands
3 South Holland 006 South Holland
4 Barnsley 007 Barnsley
5 Newcastle-under-Lyme 003 Newcastle-under-Lyme

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fairbanks

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fairbanks

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Fairbanks surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Fairbanks household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Fairbanks is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fairbanks 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

Fairbanks 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 Fairbanks 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 Fairbanks, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fairbanks

The surname Fairbanks has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is a locational name, derived from one or more places called Fairbanks, possibly meaning the "pleasant bank" or "fair bank" near a river or stream.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1191, where it is listed as Fairbanke. Similar spellings such as Fayrebanke and Fayrbanke were also used in medieval times.

In the 13th century, the name is found in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a Robert de Fairbanke. The Fairbanks name is also recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

One of the earliest notable figures with the Fairbanks surname was John Fairbanks, born around 1590 in Drayton, Leicestershire. He was one of the original settlers of Dedham, Massachusetts, arriving in 1633 and becoming a prominent citizen and landowner in the colony.

Another early Fairbanks was Richard Fairbanks, born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1638. He was a freeman and landowner in the town of Dedham and served as a selectman there.

In the 17th century, the Fairbanks family established themselves in various parts of New England, with branches settling in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

One of the most famous individuals with the Fairbanks surname was Charles Warren Fairbanks (1852-1918), an American politician who served as the 26th Vice President of the United States under Theodore Roosevelt from 1905 to 1909.

Other notable Fairbanks include Douglas Fairbanks (1883-1939), a renowned American actor, filmmaker, and one of the founders of the United Artists studio, and his son, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (1909-2000), who was also a successful actor.

Lastly, Avard Fairbanks (1897-1987) was an American sculptor best known for his monumental works, including the sculpture of the Seated Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fairbanks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fairbanks 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. Staffordshire leads with 169 Fairbanks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.83x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 169 13.83x
Lincolnshire 58 10.02x
Nottinghamshire 37 7.58x
Middlesex 33 0.91x
Lancashire 22 0.51x
Derbyshire 14 2.47x
Brecknockshire 10 13.82x
Cheshire 9 1.13x
Surrey 8 0.45x
Somerset 4 0.69x
Leicestershire 2 0.50x
Radnorshire 2 6.85x
Cumberland 1 0.32x
Essex 1 0.14x
Gloucestershire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 26 Fairbanks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.07x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 26 20.07x
Gosberton 23 894.94x
Stone 19 121.64x
Hilderstone 17 3469.39x
Spalding 17 148.08x
Stafford St Mary 15 86.76x
Treswell 13 5652.17x
Cottam 10 7692.31x
St Pancras London 10 3.43x
Wolstanton Chesterton 10 160.26x
Derby St Alkmund 9 53.00x
Islington London 9 2.57x
Alton 8 606.06x
Bushbury 8 365.30x
Camberwell 8 3.46x
Llangattock 8 135.82x
Bethnal Green London 7 4.45x
Cannock 7 32.83x
Hurdsfield 7 142.28x
Newcastle Under Lyme 7 32.38x
Burntwood Edial 6 76.92x
Great Grimsby 6 16.34x
Liverpool 6 2.30x
Whitmore 6 1875.00x
Draycott In Moors 5 1000.00x
Fradswell 5 2000.00x
Stapenhill 5 59.31x
Wolstanton Knutton 5 67.02x
Clarborough 4 109.59x
Fosdyke 4 677.97x
St Giles Cripplegate 4 83.33x
Stapleford 4 101.01x
Swynnerton 4 416.67x
Toxteth Park 4 2.75x
Wells St Cuthbert 4 100.50x
Hulme 3 3.35x
Trentham 3 28.87x
Warrington 3 5.89x
Caverswall 2 31.50x
Cefnllys 2 238.10x
Checkley 2 63.09x
Chorlton 2 425.53x
East Retford 2 47.28x
Garston 2 15.79x
Great Bowden 2 54.79x
Hay 2 74.35x
Ince In Makerfield 2 10.01x
Lower Bebington 2 42.11x
Milwich 2 294.12x
Paddington London 2 1.50x
Pinchbeck 2 53.91x
Sutton On Trent 2 166.67x
Swineshead 2 105.26x
Wolverhampton 2 2.13x
Aspatria 1 33.33x
Audley 1 8.27x
Boston 1 5.69x
Brewood 1 28.41x
Butterwick 1 151.52x
Clifton 1 2.79x
Darlton 1 526.32x
Dilhorne 1 49.26x
Gainsborough 1 7.33x
Kingston 1 285.71x
Kirton 1 43.10x
Lichfield St Michael 1 26.11x
Newton 1 3.02x
Saffron Walden 1 13.25x
Salford 1 0.79x
St Marylebone London 1 0.52x
Sturton 1 151.52x
Whittington 1 40.00x
Willenhall 1 4.37x
Wolstanton 1 2.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Sarah 21
Elizabeth 10
Ann 9
Alice 8
Eliza 8
Emma 6
Hannah 6
Jane 6
Annie 5
Fanny 5
Frances 5
Ada 4
Emily 4
Laura 4
Martha 4
Agnes 3
Ellen 3
Beatrice 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Elizth. 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Matilda 2
Rebecca 2
Susan 2
Clara 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Elizabath 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
G. 1
Harrait 1
Harrott 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Lilla 1
Lissie 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Naomi 1
Nelly 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 31
George 17
John 17
Thomas 14
Henry 11
James 9
Richard 9
Arthur 8
Samuel 6
Alfred 5
Joseph 5
Charles 4
Frederick 4
Robert 4
Sampson 4
Josiah 3
Clement 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Herbert 2
Levi 2
Allan 1
Cristopher 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Erenist 1
Frank 1
Geo.H. 1
Horatio 1
Infant 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Leonard 1
Nathaniel 1
Percival 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
Sam 1
Samson 1
Thos 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Fairbanks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fairbanks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 374 people were recorded with the Fairbanks surname. That placed it at #8,364 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fairbanks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 426 in 2016. That gives Fairbanks a modern rank of #11,279.

What does the Fairbanks surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a hillside or riverbank of fair or pleasing appearance.

What does the Fairbanks map show?

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