NameCensus.

UK surname

Fairchild

A surname referring to a beautiful child, often with light-colored hair, or one who was privileged.

In the 1881 census there were 671 people recorded with the Fairchild surname, ranking it #5,378 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 995, ranked #5,822, down from #5,378 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Epping and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Berkshire, East Cambridgeshire and North Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fairchild is 1,028 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.3%.

1881 census count

671

Ranked #5,378

Modern count

995

2016, ranked #5,822

Peak year

1911

1,028 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fairchild had 671 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,378 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 995 in 2016, ranked #5,822.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,028 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fairchild surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fairchild surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fairchild 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 501 #4,984
1861 historical 542 #4,848
1881 historical 671 #5,378
1891 historical 742 #5,363
1901 historical 902 #5,140
1911 historical 1,028 #4,454
1997 modern 924 #5,846
1998 modern 948 #5,913
1999 modern 971 #5,840
2000 modern 980 #5,791
2001 modern 951 #5,814
2002 modern 985 #5,770
2003 modern 973 #5,718
2004 modern 952 #5,835
2005 modern 923 #5,905
2006 modern 918 #5,949
2007 modern 926 #5,961
2008 modern 942 #5,920
2009 modern 949 #6,005
2010 modern 974 #5,996
2011 modern 963 #6,001
2012 modern 972 #5,870
2013 modern 976 #5,937
2014 modern 997 #5,875
2015 modern 990 #5,857
2016 modern 995 #5,822

Geography

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Where Fairchilds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Epping, St Pancras and Exbourne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Berkshire, East Cambridgeshire, North Devon, Sheffield and Hinckley and Bosworth. 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 Epping Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Exbourne Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Berkshire 002 West Berkshire
2 East Cambridgeshire 005 East Cambridgeshire
3 North Devon 014 North Devon
4 Sheffield 032 Sheffield
5 Hinckley and Bosworth 008 Hinckley and Bosworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fairchild

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fairchild

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Fairchild is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Fairchild is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Fairchild

The surname FAIRCHILD has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 13th century. It is believed to be a habitational name, derived from the Old English words "faeger", meaning fair or beautiful, and "cild", meaning a young person or child. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place named after a fair or beautiful child, or a location associated with children.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the FAIRCHILD surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, dated 1273, which mentions a John Fayrechild. The name also appears in various other medieval records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, which lists a William Fayrechild.

The FAIRCHILD surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John Fairchild (c. 1384-1449), an English churchman who served as Bishop of Carlisle from 1429 until his death. Another prominent figure was Thomas Fairchild (1667-1729), an English gardener and botanist who is credited with introducing several plant species to England.

In the 18th century, Benjamin FAIRCHILD (1706-1786) was a prominent American clergyman and educator, serving as the second president of Harvard College from 1770 to 1773. His grandson, James Harris FAIRCHILD (1817-1887), was a prominent American theologian and educator who served as the third president of Oberlin College.

Another notable bearer of the FAIRCHILD surname was Charles E. FAIRCHILD (1904-1999), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation, a pioneering company in the development of aerial reconnaissance cameras and semiconductor technology.

The FAIRCHILD name has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Fairchild's Farm in Kent, Fairchild's Close in Buckinghamshire, and Fairchild's Meadow in Oxfordshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and its possible origins as a habitational name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fairchild families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fairchild 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 124 Fairchilds recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.88x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 124 1.88x
Essex 120 9.22x
Devon 102 7.43x
Surrey 63 1.96x
Lincolnshire 52 4.93x
Northamptonshire 28 4.51x
Lancashire 21 0.27x
Cheshire 16 1.10x
Somerset 16 1.51x
Gloucestershire 15 1.16x
Norfolk 15 1.48x
Hampshire 14 1.04x
Kent 14 0.62x
Derbyshire 12 1.16x
Berkshire 11 2.22x
Cambridgeshire 10 2.39x
Hertfordshire 10 2.20x
Channel Islands 5 2.56x
Leicestershire 5 0.68x
Glamorgan 4 0.35x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.34x
Huntingdonshire 2 1.53x
Midlothian 2 0.23x
Sussex 2 0.18x
Wiltshire 2 0.34x
Yorkshire 2 0.03x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.38x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.36x
Monmouthshire 1 0.21x
Oxfordshire 1 0.25x
Suffolk 1 0.12x
Westmorland 1 0.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 25 Fairchilds recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.76x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 25 6.76x
West Ham 24 8.35x
St Pancras London 22 4.14x
Peterborough 18 40.09x
Epping 14 264.65x
Exbourne 14 1647.06x
Great Gonerby 13 477.94x
Roydon 13 680.63x
Lambeth 11 1.91x
Southampton St Mary 11 12.94x
Wootton Courtney 11 1486.49x
Birkenhead 10 8.62x
Camberwell 10 2.37x
Finchley 10 39.56x
Huish 10 4000.00x
Nazeing 10 598.80x
Spittlegate 10 68.59x
Broxbourne 9 99.89x
Ash Normandy 8 183.07x
Battersea 8 3.30x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 6.57x
Enfield 8 18.49x
Fremington 8 286.74x
Great Parndon 8 714.29x
Paddington London 8 3.30x
Penge 8 18.99x
St Martin Lincoln 8 81.80x
Whitchurch 8 331.95x
Witchford 8 800.00x
Fazakerley 7 578.51x
Harwich St Nicholas 7 69.65x
Lambourn 7 142.86x
Standground 7 235.69x
Altrincham 6 23.59x
Chatham 6 9.69x
Great Baddow 6 129.59x
Highweek 6 122.70x
Leyton Low 6 22.68x
Little Torrington 6 495.87x
Newbold Dunston 6 61.16x
Newington 6 2.46x
Cranham 5 531.91x
Downham Market 5 71.74x
Hennock 5 287.36x
Heston 5 22.83x
Leicester St Margaret 5 2.80x
Marwood 5 274.73x
Reigate Foreign 5 14.37x
St Marylebone London 5 1.42x
Theydon Bois 5 252.53x
Thurlby 5 724.64x
Aunsby 4 1290.32x
Basildon 4 268.46x
Bristol St Augustine 4 19.17x
Broadwood Kelly 4 606.06x
Chelsea London 4 2.01x
Chesterfield 4 10.34x
Great Burstead 4 84.39x
Islington London 4 0.63x
Mile End Old Town London 4 2.85x
Norwich St Clement 4 34.04x
Oldham 4 1.58x
Sampford Courtenay 4 195.12x
St Helier 4 6.29x
St Mark Lincoln 4 177.78x
Stanford 4 1025.64x
Streatham 4 8.18x
Swansea Town 4 4.25x
Bourn 3 35.21x
Charles 3 508.47x
Edmonton 3 5.65x
Fulham London 3 3.14x
Great Torrington 3 38.56x
Hampstead London 3 2.92x
Hornsey 3 3.60x
Jacobstowe 3 588.24x
Tottenham 3 2.86x
Walthamstow 3 6.40x
Westbury On Trym 3 6.85x
Woodford 3 20.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 43
Elizabeth 33
Sarah 23
Ann 19
Ellen 15
Alice 14
Emma 10
Emily 9
Annie 8
Eliza 8
Florence 8
Jane 7
Maria 7
Ada 5
Louisa 5
Martha 5
Caroline 4
Clara 4
Edith 4
Hannah 4
Susan 4
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
Kate 3
Beatrice 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Flora 2
Isabella 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Laura 2
Lucy 2
Matilda 2
Rebecca 2
Sophia 2
Charles 1
Christine 1
Emliy 1
Emmelia 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Helen 1
Katie 1
L.E. 1
Laurence 1
Lette 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 48
William 39
George 25
Thomas 24
Henry 22
James 16
Charles 15
Alfred 14
Arthur 13
Joseph 12
Richard 12
Frederick 9
Samuel 8
Edwin 7
Walter 6
Albert 5
Edward 5
Ernest 5
Fredk. 4
Herbert 4
A. 3
Andrew 3
Harry 3
J. 3
Benjamin 2
Horace 2
W. 2
Cecil 1
Chs. 1
David 1
Ebenezer 1
Edmond 1
Emanuel 1
Emma 1
F. 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk.Henry 1
Fredrick 1
H. 1
Harold 1
Jessie 1
Josh. 1
Joshua 1
Mark 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Rowland 1
Septimus 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Fairchild surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fairchild surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Fairchild surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 995 in 2016. That gives Fairchild a modern rank of #5,822.

What does the Fairchild surname mean?

A surname referring to a beautiful child, often with light-colored hair, or one who was privileged.

What does the Fairchild map show?

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