NameCensus.

UK surname

Fairey

An English surname derived from the Old French word "ferier" meaning farrier or blacksmith.

In the 1881 census there were 432 people recorded with the Fairey surname, ranking it #7,547 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 568, ranked #9,058, down from #7,547 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wellingborough, Bedford St Paul and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire Dales and North Hertfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fairey is 685 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.5%.

1881 census count

432

Ranked #7,547

Modern count

568

2016, ranked #9,058

Peak year

1998

685 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fairey had 432 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,547 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 568 in 2016, ranked #9,058.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 681 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fairey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fairey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fairey 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 244 #8,950
1861 historical 228 #10,703
1881 historical 432 #7,547
1891 historical 490 #7,550
1901 historical 670 #6,496
1911 historical 681 #6,206
1997 modern 679 #7,419
1998 modern 685 #7,604
1999 modern 685 #7,639
2000 modern 659 #7,852
2001 modern 644 #7,852
2002 modern 644 #8,007
2003 modern 632 #7,994
2004 modern 640 #7,923
2005 modern 607 #8,206
2006 modern 590 #8,387
2007 modern 584 #8,534
2008 modern 589 #8,539
2009 modern 599 #8,612
2010 modern 621 #8,553
2011 modern 603 #8,660
2012 modern 582 #8,793
2013 modern 579 #8,965
2014 modern 573 #9,089
2015 modern 568 #9,068
2016 modern 568 #9,058

Geography

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Where Faireys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wellingborough, Bedford St Paul, London parishes, St Neots and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire Dales, North Hertfordshire, Northampton and Amber Valley. 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 Wellingborough Northamptonshire
2 Bedford St Paul Bedfordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Neots Huntingdonshire
5 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Cambridgeshire 016 South Cambridgeshire
2 Derbyshire Dales 001 Derbyshire Dales
3 North Hertfordshire 004 North Hertfordshire
4 Northampton 017 Northampton
5 Amber Valley 011 Amber Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fairey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fairey

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Fairey 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

Fairey is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fairey falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Fairey

The surname Fairey has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "faeger," meaning "fair" or "beautiful," and was likely initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a fair complexion or pleasing appearance.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1190, which mention a William Fairey. The surname also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1275, where a Henry Fairye is recorded.

During the medieval period, the name was often associated with various places, leading to variations in spelling. For instance, in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from 1327, a John de Feyrie is mentioned, suggesting a connection to a place called Feyrie or Feyry.

The surname Fairey has also been linked to the village of Fairey in Leicestershire, which was originally known as "Fayrie" or "Fayry" in the Domesday Book of 1086. Some early bearers of the name may have hailed from or been associated with this location.

Notable individuals with the surname Fairey include:

1. Sir Nigel Fairey (1546-1612), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 2. John Fairey (1795-1861), a British engineer and inventor, best known for designing and building the first successful steam carriage in 1834. 3. Charles Fairey (1887-1956), the founder of the Fairey Aviation Company, a prominent British aircraft manufacturer. 4. Edmund Fairey (1568-1635), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. 5. Richard Fairey (1887-1956), a British aircraft designer and co-founder of the Fairey Aviation Company, known for his contributions to aviation technology.

These are a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the surname Fairey, showcasing its presence in various fields, from law and politics to engineering and academia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fairey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fairey 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 86 Faireys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.05x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 86 2.05x
Bedfordshire 61 28.02x
Northamptonshire 59 14.92x
Yorkshire 39 0.94x
Huntingdonshire 33 39.53x
Hertfordshire 20 6.90x
Buckinghamshire 19 7.48x
Durham 15 1.20x
Surrey 14 0.68x
Cambridgeshire 12 4.51x
Essex 12 1.45x
Lancashire 10 0.20x
Berkshire 7 2.22x
Cumberland 7 1.93x
Derbyshire 7 1.06x
Hampshire 5 0.58x
Leicestershire 5 1.07x
Sussex 4 0.56x
Kent 3 0.21x
Lincolnshire 3 0.45x
Warwickshire 3 0.28x
Cheshire 2 0.22x
Staffordshire 2 0.14x
Dorset 1 0.36x
Oxfordshire 1 0.39x
Worcestershire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 19 Faireys recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.33x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 19 14.33x
Hitchin 17 129.97x
Bedford St Paul 15 100.47x
Mile End Old Town London 13 14.53x
Bedford St Peter 12 212.39x
Islington London 12 2.94x
Brampton 10 574.71x
St George In East London 10 25.29x
Bourn 9 769.23x
Easton 9 4285.71x
Mile End New Town London 9 108.30x
Wellingborough 9 45.27x
Barton 8 1081.08x
Bromley London 8 8.65x
Northampton St Giles 8 53.12x
Olney 8 227.92x
Water Eaton 8 2222.22x
Edmonton 7 20.67x
Harrold 7 476.19x
Riseley 7 507.25x
West Ham 7 3.82x
Workington 7 33.78x
Great Billing 6 1071.43x
Hackney London 6 2.55x
Ripley 6 73.71x
Speen 6 116.28x
Willington 6 82.99x
Chiswick 5 21.77x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 5.90x
Habergham Eaves 5 10.96x
Launde 5 5000.00x
Leighton Buzzard 5 53.42x
Northampton All Sts 5 37.26x
Stranton 5 11.87x
Bozeat 4 232.56x
Long Newton 4 952.38x
Luton 4 10.62x
Northampton St Peter 4 166.67x
Northampton St Sepulchre 4 19.88x
Southampton St Mary 4 7.38x
Streatham 4 12.82x
Teddington London 4 41.97x
Birmingham 3 0.85x
Branston 3 145.63x
Chellington 3 2142.86x
Duston 3 83.57x
Felmersham 3 422.54x
Gravesend 3 24.71x
Huntingdon St Benedict 3 285.71x
Kimbolton 3 170.45x
Lambeth 3 0.82x
Lewes Castle Precincts 3 7500.00x
Little Paxton 3 750.00x
Northampton Priory St 3 12.64x
Ratcliffe London 3 12.92x
Richmond 3 10.45x
Walton On Hill 3 11.10x
Abbots Ripton 2 350.88x
Barking 2 8.24x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.10x
Brightside Bierlow 2 2.45x
Brompton In 2 107.53x
Cogenhoe 2 400.00x
Coulsdon 2 53.76x
Enfield 2 7.25x
Gamlingay 2 72.20x
Great Stukeley 2 333.33x
Irchester 2 81.30x
Kings Walden 2 121.95x
Princes Risborough 2 58.82x
Sowerby In Thirsk 2 79.68x
Thrapston 2 100.50x
Tingrith 2 833.33x
Wolverhampton 2 1.83x
Aldershot 1 3.46x
Bridewell Precinct London 1 250.00x
Crumpsall 1 8.50x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 76.34x
Portland 1 6.74x
Wandsworth 1 2.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Annie 12
Elizabeth 12
Eliza 11
Emma 10
Martha 9
Sarah 9
Jane 8
Alice 6
Ann 6
Ellen 6
Caroline 5
Clara 5
Fanny 5
Charlotte 4
Emily 4
Florence 4
Minnie 4
Susan 4
Ada 3
Elizth. 3
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Eleanor 2
Esther 2
Eva 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Marian 2
Phillis 2
Cecilia 1
Christania 1
Edith 1
Elizeth. 1
Elizth 1
Ethel 1
Harriet 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Laurie 1
Leah 1
Livinia 1
Lizzy 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
M.A. 1
Zyilpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
George 21
William 17
Thomas 15
Henry 9
Joseph 9
James 8
Alfred 7
Arthur 6
Wm. 6
Amos 5
Frederick 5
Samuel 5
Benjamin 4
Charles 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Edward 3
Harry 3
Richard 3
Daniel 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
B. 1
Charley 1
Dennis 1
Ebenezer 1
Eli 1
Fergus 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.H. 1
H. 1
Henrey 1
Heny. 1
Jesica 1
Joshua 1
Leonard 1
Moses 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Saml. 1
Sidney 1
Susannah 1
W.F. 1

FAQ

Fairey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fairey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 432 people were recorded with the Fairey surname. That placed it at #7,547 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fairey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 568 in 2016. That gives Fairey a modern rank of #9,058.

What does the Fairey surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old French word "ferier" meaning farrier or blacksmith.

What does the Fairey map show?

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