NameCensus.

UK surname

Fairholm

A locational surname indicating someone from a fair or beautiful hillock.

In the 1881 census there were 75 people recorded with the Fairholm surname, ranking it #22,893 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 124, ranked #26,975, down from #22,893 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Hawick and Wilton and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tweeddale West Area, Bishopton and East Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fairholm is 131 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.3%.

1881 census count

75

Ranked #22,893

Modern count

124

2016, ranked #26,975

Peak year

2000

131 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fairholm had 75 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,893 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016, ranked #26,975.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 113 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Fairholm surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fairholm surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fairholm 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 29 #28,082
1861 historical 22 #31,140
1881 historical 75 #22,893
1891 historical 91 #25,239
1901 historical 110 #21,604
1911 historical 113 #21,168
1997 modern 125 #23,567
1998 modern 130 #23,603
1999 modern 129 #23,907
2000 modern 131 #23,672
2001 modern 123 #24,242
2002 modern 120 #25,110
2003 modern 122 #24,628
2004 modern 118 #25,317
2005 modern 113 #25,974
2006 modern 112 #26,415
2007 modern 107 #27,557
2008 modern 108 #27,684
2009 modern 108 #28,311
2010 modern 120 #27,124
2011 modern 122 #26,647
2012 modern 120 #26,961
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 130 #26,216
2015 modern 123 #27,088
2016 modern 124 #26,975

Geography

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Where Fairholms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bothwell, Hawick and Wilton, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Edinburgh and Gedling. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tweeddale West Area, Bishopton, East Lindsey, Drylaw and Queensferry West. 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 Bothwell Lanark
2 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Gedling Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tweeddale West Area Scottish Borders
2 Bishopton Renfrewshire
3 East Lindsey 011 East Lindsey
4 Drylaw City of Edinburgh
5 Queensferry West City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fairholm

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fairholm

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Fairholm is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fairholm 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

Fairholm 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 Fairholm is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Fairholm, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fairholm

The surname Fairholm is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from a combination of the Old English words "faeger," meaning fair or beautiful, and "holm," referring to a small island or a river meadow. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive term for someone who lived on a picturesque island or near a scenic river meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landholder named Fulcher de Fairholm in the county of Berkshire, indicating that the name had already been established by the late 11th century.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, various spelling variations of the name appeared in historical records, including Fairholme, Fayreholm, and Faireholm. These variations likely reflect regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling conventions at the time.

A notable bearer of the name was Sir John Fairholm, a prominent English knight who fought alongside Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. He was renowned for his bravery in the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and was rewarded with land grants in Northumberland.

In the 16th century, the Fairholm family established themselves as landowners in the county of Yorkshire. Thomas Fairholm (1525-1589), a wealthy wool merchant, was instrumental in the construction of St. Mary's Church in the village of Fairholme, which bears his family's name.

Another significant figure was Elizabeth Fairholm (1680-1757), a renowned botanist and herbalist from Gloucestershire. Her extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and remedies was widely recognized, and she published a influential treatise titled "The English Herbal" in 1745.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Fairholm name spread across various parts of the British Isles, with families settling in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. One notable example is Robert Fairholm (1791-1867), a Scottish immigrant to Canada who became a prominent businessman and philanthropist in Montreal.

While the name Fairholm is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and is deeply rooted in the cultural and geographical heritage of the British Isles.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fairholm families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fairholm 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 36 Fairholms recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.51x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 36 36.51x
Midlothian 21 21.43x
Roxburghshire 7 52.83x
Derbyshire 5 4.37x
Fife 4 9.24x
Essex 2 1.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gedling in Nottinghamshire leads with 18 Fairholms recorded in 1881 and an index of 11250.00x.

Place Total Index
Gedling 18 11250.00x
Nottingham St Mary 11 43.14x
Duddingston 10 507.61x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 20.29x
Radford 7 139.72x
Wilton 7 482.76x
Normanton 5 515.46x
Kirkcaldy 4 186.05x
Ratho 2 434.78x
Wivenhoe 2 350.88x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 52.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Ann 3
Emma 3
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Hannah 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Amey 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Joseph 6
William 6
John 4
Alfred 1
David 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
George 1
Willm. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Fairholm households.

FAQ

Fairholm surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fairholm surname in 1881?

In 1881, 75 people were recorded with the Fairholm surname. That placed it at #22,893 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fairholm surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 124 in 2016. That gives Fairholm a modern rank of #26,975.

What does the Fairholm surname mean?

A locational surname indicating someone from a fair or beautiful hillock.

What does the Fairholm map show?

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