NameCensus.

UK surname

Fairlamb

A locational surname denoting a person from a place once associated with lambs.

In the 1881 census there were 154 people recorded with the Fairlamb surname, ranking it #15,259 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 321, ranked #14,065, up from #15,259 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Allendale and Bellingham, Wark, Thorneyburn (West Tarset). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stockton-on-Tees, Gateshead and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fairlamb is 341 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 108.4%.

1881 census count

154

Ranked #15,259

Modern count

321

2016, ranked #14,065

Peak year

2012

341 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fairlamb had 154 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,259 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 321 in 2016, ranked #14,065.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 197 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Fairlamb surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fairlamb surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fairlamb 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 133 #14,106
1861 historical 136 #16,556
1881 historical 154 #15,259
1891 historical 182 #15,983
1901 historical 197 #15,272
1911 historical 190 #15,438
1997 modern 296 #13,646
1998 modern 316 #13,424
1999 modern 312 #13,615
2000 modern 321 #13,337
2001 modern 319 #13,168
2002 modern 328 #13,186
2003 modern 305 #13,662
2004 modern 315 #13,450
2005 modern 293 #14,030
2006 modern 285 #14,361
2007 modern 299 #14,077
2008 modern 306 #13,943
2009 modern 318 #13,863
2010 modern 328 #13,856
2011 modern 325 #13,808
2012 modern 341 #13,217
2013 modern 340 #13,449
2014 modern 330 #13,889
2015 modern 325 #13,927
2016 modern 321 #14,065

Geography

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Where Fairlambs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Allendale, Bellingham, Wark, Thorneyburn (West Tarset), Gateshead and Newcastle St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stockton-on-Tees, Gateshead and Northumberland. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Allendale Northumberland
3 Bellingham, Wark, Thorneyburn (West Tarset) Northumberland
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Newcastle St John Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stockton-on-Tees 014 Stockton-on-Tees
2 Gateshead 025 Gateshead
3 Stockton-on-Tees 008 Stockton-on-Tees
4 Northumberland 040 Northumberland
5 Gateshead 009 Gateshead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fairlamb

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fairlamb

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Fairlamb surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Fairlamb household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Fairlamb 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

Fairlamb is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fairlamb falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Fairlamb

The surname Fairlamb has its origins in England, tracing back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have originated as a nickname or descriptive name derived from the Old English words "faer," meaning "fair" or "light-colored," and "lamb," referring to a young sheep. This suggests that the original bearer of the name may have been someone with fair or light-colored hair or complexion, or perhaps someone associated with the care or breeding of lambs.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is the mention of a John Fairlamb in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273. Additionally, the name appears in the Placita de Quo Warranto records of 1293-1294, which documented legal proceedings related to property rights and land ownership.

During the medieval period, the Fairlamb name was predominantly concentrated in the northern counties of England, particularly in areas such as Yorkshire and Northumberland. It is possible that the name may have originated as a reference to a place name, though no definitive evidence has been found to support this theory.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Fairlamb surname was Sir Ralph Fairlamb, a knight who lived in the late 14th century and was a prominent figure in the affairs of County Durham. Another notable bearer of the name was John Fairlamb, a merchant and alderman who served as Mayor of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1518.

In the 17th century, the Fairlamb family established themselves as landowners and gentry in the northern counties of England. Sir William Fairlamb (1587-1642) was a member of Parliament and a significant landowner in County Durham. His son, Sir Thomas Fairlamb (1616-1693), was also a member of Parliament and played a role in the English Civil War, initially supporting the Royalist cause before later siding with the Parliamentarians.

Another prominent individual with the Fairlamb surname was Ralph Fairlamb (1625-1702), a Quaker minister and writer from Yorkshire. He was known for his religious works and his advocacy for Quaker principles during a time of religious persecution.

While the Fairlamb name has its roots in the north of England, over time it has spread to other parts of the country and even beyond, as individuals and families migrated and established new settlements. However, its origins and historical significance remain firmly rooted in the northern counties of England and the legacy of those who bore the name in centuries past.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fairlamb families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fairlamb 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. Durham leads with 69 Fairlambs recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.44x.

County Total Index
Durham 69 15.44x
Northumberland 62 27.74x
Yorkshire 18 1.21x
Warwickshire 4 1.06x
Cumberland 1 0.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Allendale in Northumberland leads with 23 Fairlambs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1111.11x.

Place Total Index
Allendale 23 1111.11x
Gateshead 13 38.85x
Benfieldside 10 340.14x
Medomsley 10 480.77x
Gate Fulford 7 201.15x
Monkwearmouth Shore 7 80.28x
Slaley 7 3181.82x
Westgate 7 50.58x
Collierley 5 251.26x
Skerne 5 5555.56x
Westoe 5 19.74x
Great Lumley 4 519.48x
Hexham West Quarter 4 3636.36x
West Herrington 4 254.78x
Birmingham 3 2.38x
Byker 3 27.15x
Elswick 3 16.82x
Henshaw 3 1153.85x
Kyo 3 142.86x
Salton 3 3750.00x
Tarretburn 3 4285.71x
Coxlodge 2 117.65x
Hexham 2 57.80x
Huddersfield 2 9.22x
Melkridge 2 1250.00x
Stranton 2 13.30x
Tanfield 2 37.66x
Washington 2 106.95x
Alston 1 42.02x
Bishopwearmouth 1 2.61x
Edgbaston 1 8.51x
Haltwhistle 1 92.59x
Knaresdale 1 370.37x
Normanby In 1 25.13x
Shotley High Quarter 1 666.67x
Whickham 1 24.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 13
Mary 12
Isabella 6
Jane 6
Ann 5
Hannah 4
Sarah 4
Eleanor 3
Annie 2
Emily 2
Martha 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Barbara 1
Charlotte 1
Dorothy 1
Dorringford 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Geyredia 1
Lily 1
Margaret 1
Thomasin 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
Thomas 11
William 11
Robert 7
Matthew 4
Nicholas 4
Edward 3
James 3
Charles 2
Francis 2
Hugh 2
Joseph 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Edwin 1
Ethelbert 1
F. 1
Forster 1
George 1
Llewellyn 1
Matw. 1
Richard 1
Septimus 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Fairlamb surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fairlamb surname in 1881?

In 1881, 154 people were recorded with the Fairlamb surname. That placed it at #15,259 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fairlamb surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 321 in 2016. That gives Fairlamb a modern rank of #14,065.

What does the Fairlamb surname mean?

A locational surname denoting a person from a place once associated with lambs.

What does the Fairlamb map show?

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