NameCensus.

UK surname

Fairless

A surname derived from a place name referring to an area without a common or grazing land.

In the 1881 census there were 590 people recorded with the Fairless surname, ranking it #5,919 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 733, ranked #7,430, down from #5,919 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Allendale and Corbridge. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, County Durham and Gateshead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fairless is 850 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.2%.

1881 census count

590

Ranked #5,919

Modern count

733

2016, ranked #7,430

Peak year

1999

850 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fairless had 590 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,919 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 733 in 2016, ranked #7,430.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 789 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Fairless surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fairless surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fairless 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 302 #7,606
1861 historical 352 #7,258
1881 historical 590 #5,919
1891 historical 602 #6,369
1901 historical 684 #6,394
1911 historical 789 #5,526
1997 modern 826 #6,380
1998 modern 835 #6,529
1999 modern 850 #6,487
2000 modern 825 #6,617
2001 modern 809 #6,592
2002 modern 815 #6,668
2003 modern 784 #6,764
2004 modern 784 #6,784
2005 modern 734 #7,074
2006 modern 732 #7,121
2007 modern 739 #7,145
2008 modern 741 #7,166
2009 modern 765 #7,136
2010 modern 773 #7,213
2011 modern 791 #7,018
2012 modern 764 #7,126
2013 modern 751 #7,338
2014 modern 746 #7,410
2015 modern 742 #7,364
2016 modern 733 #7,430

Geography

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Where Fairless' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Allendale, Corbridge, 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 Northumberland, County Durham and Gateshead. 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 Corbridge Northumberland
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Newcastle St John Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 040 Northumberland
2 County Durham 042 County Durham
3 County Durham 053 County Durham
4 Northumberland 035 Northumberland
5 Gateshead 022 Gateshead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fairless

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fairless

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Fairless 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

Fairless 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

Fairless falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fairless is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Fairless

The surname Fairless has its origin in England, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "faer," meaning "journey" or "travel," combined with the suffix "-less," indicating a lack or absence. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who did not travel or had a sedentary lifestyle.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Fairless surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1170, where a person named Hugo Fairless is listed. These rolls were financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, providing valuable historical documentation of names and locations during that time period.

Another early reference to the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from the year 1327, where a Robert Fairless is mentioned. These rolls were tax records that listed individuals by name and often provided insights into their occupations and social status.

In the 16th century, the Fairless surname can be found in various parish records across England. For instance, in the parish of Wrington, Somerset, the baptism of Thomas Fairless is recorded in 1558. Similarly, in the parish of Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, the marriage of John Fairless and Elizabeth Pattinson is documented in 1586.

Notable individuals with the Fairless surname include William Fairless (1789-1866), a British engineer and inventor who designed and constructed several notable bridges, including the Suspension Bridge over the River Tweed at Berwick-upon-Tweed. Another prominent figure was Sir Nathaniel Fairless (1739-1808), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and played a role in the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.

In the literary world, Michael Fairless (1869-1901), whose real name was Margaret Bestwick Fairless Barber, was a British novelist and essayist known for her semi-autobiographical work, "The Roadmender." Her book, published in 1902 after her death, gained widespread acclaim and was celebrated for its poetic depiction of the English countryside.

Other notable individuals with the Fairless surname include John Fairless (1828-1914), a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, and Robert Fairless (1927-2016), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Capital Group Companies, a prominent investment management firm.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fairless families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fairless 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 367 Fairless' recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.33x.

County Total Index
Durham 367 21.33x
Northumberland 152 17.66x
Lancashire 17 0.25x
Middlesex 13 0.22x
Cumberland 9 1.81x
Oxfordshire 9 2.52x
Lanarkshire 5 0.27x
Devon 4 0.33x
Essex 3 0.26x
Surrey 3 0.11x
Yorkshire 3 0.05x
Hampshire 2 0.17x
Kent 2 0.10x
Banffshire 1 0.83x
Norfolk 1 0.11x
Perthshire 1 0.39x
Royal Navy 1 1.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stanhope in Durham leads with 105 Fairless' recorded in 1881 and an index of 590.88x.

Place Total Index
Stanhope 105 590.88x
Westoe 59 60.48x
Elswick 43 62.60x
Bishopwearmouth 29 19.63x
Haswell 28 227.09x
Byker 23 54.05x
Stockton On Tees 13 15.67x
East Brunton 12 5217.39x
Allendale 11 137.84x
Bishop Auckland 11 47.64x
Corbridge 11 349.21x
West Auckland 11 174.88x
Brandon Byshottles 10 46.38x
Hexham 10 75.08x
Longbenton 9 24.69x
Oxford St Giles 9 52.82x
Witton Gilbert 9 132.55x
Newton Cap 8 299.63x
Winlaton 8 48.46x
Collierley 7 91.26x
Ferryhill 7 116.28x
Hartlepool 7 28.62x
Eccleston In Prescot 6 17.41x
Fulham London 6 7.15x
Kensington London 6 1.87x
Seghill 6 142.18x
Tanfield 6 29.33x
Wigton 6 80.32x
Crook Billy Row 5 22.69x
Humshaugh 5 531.91x
Muggleswick 5 299.40x
Rusholme 5 27.31x
Chirton 4 20.53x
Elvet 4 32.21x
Esh 4 31.95x
Jesmond 4 33.03x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 11.91x
Newbrough 4 261.44x
North Bedburn 4 83.16x
Sidmouth 4 58.06x
Alston 3 32.68x
Ashton In Makerfield 3 15.35x
Benwell 3 31.88x
Cambusnethan 3 7.22x
Dilston 3 750.00x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 4.02x
Lambeth 3 0.59x
St Giles 3 27.93x
Waldridge 3 104.17x
West Ham 3 1.19x
Wolsingham 3 19.13x
Gateshead 2 1.55x
Linthorpe 2 5.85x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 4.48x
Pendleton In Salford 2 2.45x
Quarrington 2 307.69x
Southwick 2 12.27x
Westgate 2 3.75x
Alverstoke 1 2.33x
Bothwell 1 1.97x
Broughton In Salford 1 1.59x
Dalziel 1 4.97x
Fordyce 1 11.59x
Great Yarmouth 1 1.36x
Hunwick Helmington 1 24.21x
Margate St John Baptist 1 2.77x
Northfleet 1 5.75x
Perth 1 1666.67x
St Pancras London 1 0.21x
Staindrop 1 38.31x
Stranton 1 1.73x
Sunderland 1 3.29x
Ventnor 1 8.87x
Whitwell House 1 370.37x
Whorlton 1 74.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 50
Jane 30
Elizabeth 29
Margaret 20
Sarah 16
Ann 13
Annie 11
Hannah 9
Isabella 8
Ada 5
Lucy 4
Martha 4
Alice 3
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Eliza 3
Elizth. 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Cecily 2
Christina 2
Dorothy 2
Eleanor 2
Elisabeth 2
Emma 2
Harriet 2
Josephine 2
Mgt. 2
Minnie 2
Adeline 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Cathre. 1
E.J. 1
Eliz. 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Isa 1
Jessie 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Lilly 1
Lizabeth 1
M. 1
M.A. 1
M.H. 1
Madiline 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 46
John 40
Joseph 30
Thomas 27
George 21
Robert 18
Edward 12
Henry 8
James 5
Matthew 5
Hugh 4
Ralph 4
Wm. 4
Charles 3
Cuthbert 3
Frederick 3
Michael 3
Nicholas 3
Aaron 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Gilbert 2
Isaac 2
Jonathan 2
Jos. 2
Joshua 2
Samuel 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Cecil 1
Conrad 1
Coverdale 1
Danial 1
David 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Harry 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Mathew 1
Mattw. 1
Peter 1
Rbt. 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Septimus 1
Stewart 1
Wm.E. 1

FAQ

Fairless surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fairless surname in 1881?

In 1881, 590 people were recorded with the Fairless surname. That placed it at #5,919 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fairless surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 733 in 2016. That gives Fairless a modern rank of #7,430.

What does the Fairless surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name referring to an area without a common or grazing land.

What does the Fairless map show?

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