NameCensus.

UK surname

Fairley

From the Old English words "fager" and "leah," meaning a beautiful or fair clearing or meadow.

In the 1881 census there were 1,473 people recorded with the Fairley surname, ranking it #2,834 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,388, ranked #2,750, up from #2,834 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Calder and Polbeth, Breich Valley and Oldham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fairley is 2,416 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.1%.

1881 census count

1,473

Ranked #2,834

Modern count

2,388

2016, ranked #2,750

Peak year

2010

2,416 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fairley had 1,473 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,834 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,388 in 2016, ranked #2,750.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,902 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Fairley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fairley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fairley 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 956 #2,903
1861 historical 1,083 #2,597
1881 historical 1,473 #2,834
1891 historical 1,653 #2,717
1901 historical 1,902 #2,779
1911 historical 731 #5,863
1997 modern 2,289 #2,715
1998 modern 2,341 #2,767
1999 modern 2,310 #2,818
2000 modern 2,312 #2,791
2001 modern 2,253 #2,801
2002 modern 2,305 #2,800
2003 modern 2,234 #2,822
2004 modern 2,247 #2,808
2005 modern 2,242 #2,784
2006 modern 2,289 #2,732
2007 modern 2,310 #2,742
2008 modern 2,316 #2,751
2009 modern 2,367 #2,765
2010 modern 2,416 #2,770
2011 modern 2,354 #2,801
2012 modern 2,305 #2,803
2013 modern 2,345 #2,806
2014 modern 2,407 #2,754
2015 modern 2,402 #2,746
2016 modern 2,388 #2,750

Geography

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Where Fairleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Bathgate. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Calder and Polbeth, Breich Valley, Oldham, Alva and Blaeberry Hill and East Whitburn. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Bathgate Linlithgow

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Calder and Polbeth West Lothian
2 Breich Valley West Lothian
3 Oldham 030 Oldham
4 Alva Clackmannanshire
5 Blaeberry Hill and East Whitburn West Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fairley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fairley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fairley, 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 Fairley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Fairley 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, Fairley 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

Fairley is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Fairley

The surname Fairley has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "faerlic," meaning "wonderful" or "marvelous." The name likely originated in the Lowlands region of Scotland, where it was first recorded in the form of "Fayrly" or "Fairlie."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The document mentions a "William de Fayrly" from the county of Lanark.

The surname Fairley is also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Fairlie in Ayrshire and Fairley in Renfrewshire. These place names may have contributed to the development and spread of the surname in the region.

In the 16th century, the Fairley name appeared in the records of the Scottish Reformation. John Fairley, born around 1520, was a Protestant reformer and minister in the Church of Scotland. He played a prominent role in the spread of Protestantism in the country.

Another notable individual with the surname Fairley was Robert Fairley, a Scottish poet and writer who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He is known for his work "The Rivin' Awa'," which depicts the struggles of the Scottish Covenanters during the religious conflicts of the time.

In the 19th century, John Fairley (1809-1872) was a Scottish politician and businessman who served as a Member of Parliament for the Ayr Burghs constituency. He was also involved in the development of the railway industry in Scotland.

Another prominent figure with the Fairley surname was Sir Andrew Fairley (1868-1949), a Scottish-born Australian businessman and philanthropist. He made a significant contribution to the development of the mining industry in Australia and was a generous supporter of educational institutions.

Finally, one cannot overlook the contribution of Sir Patrick Fairley (1901-1984), a Scottish-born Australian medical researcher and parasitologist. He played a crucial role in the development of treatments for tropical diseases, particularly malaria, and received numerous honors for his work.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fairley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fairley 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. Midlothian leads with 281 Fairleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.67x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 281 14.67x
Lanarkshire 238 5.15x
Durham 188 4.42x
Northumberland 94 4.42x
West Lothian 86 39.93x
Renfrewshire 63 5.68x
Angus 47 3.55x
Berwickshire 42 24.25x
Stirlingshire 42 7.96x
Lancashire 36 0.21x
Staffordshire 36 0.75x
Yorkshire 36 0.25x
Surrey 34 0.49x
Middlesex 31 0.22x
Perthshire 26 4.05x
Warwickshire 26 0.72x
Dunbartonshire 24 6.25x
Roxburghshire 16 6.18x
Worcestershire 15 0.80x
Fife 13 1.54x
Ayrshire 10 0.93x
Selkirkshire 9 6.96x
East Lothian 8 4.22x
Clackmannanshire 7 5.93x
Hampshire 7 0.24x
Aberdeenshire 6 0.45x
Argyllshire 6 1.51x
Derbyshire 5 0.22x
Dumfriesshire 5 1.58x
Gloucestershire 5 0.18x
Peeblesshire 5 7.43x
Cheshire 3 0.10x
Monmouthshire 3 0.29x
Bedfordshire 2 0.27x
Anglesey 1 0.39x
Buteshire 1 1.15x
Channel Islands 1 0.24x
Cumberland 1 0.08x
Essex 1 0.04x
Glamorgan 1 0.04x
Hertfordshire 1 0.10x
Kent 1 0.02x
Norfolk 1 0.05x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.22x
Royal Navy 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 140 Fairleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.16x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 140 18.16x
Bishopwearmouth 56 15.33x
Govan 56 4.90x
Barony 48 4.10x
Bathgate 32 68.45x
Glasgow 29 3.53x
Dundee 26 5.26x
Uphall 25 105.57x
Old Monkland 24 13.08x
South Leith 23 10.67x
West Calder 23 60.91x
Legerwood 17 622.71x
Liff Benvie 17 8.45x
Cannock 16 19.00x
Gateshead 16 5.02x
Lesmahagow 16 32.71x
Queensferry 16 304.18x
Dumbarton 15 28.04x
Lasswade 14 31.96x
Camberwell 13 1.42x
Hamilton 13 10.08x
Kilbarchan 13 38.62x
Oldbury 13 14.15x
Lambeth 12 0.96x
Liverpool 12 1.16x
Biggar 11 105.16x
Cathcart 11 18.35x
Larbert 11 34.89x
Cambusnethan 10 9.74x
Crichton 10 187.27x
Hetton Le Hole 10 18.55x
Holmside 10 95.33x
Monkwearmouth 10 24.56x
Paisley High Church 10 11.33x
Pelton 10 49.41x
Wilton 10 35.19x
Kirknewton 9 2250.00x
Newcastle On Tyne St 9 8.16x
Paisley Middle Church 9 13.95x
Perth Middle Church 9 37.28x
Polmont 9 46.23x
Westgate 9 6.83x
Aston 8 0.81x
Bournmoor 8 119.76x
Duddingston 8 20.80x
Edrom 8 107.82x
Harborne 8 5.17x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 4.34x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 6.30x
Tudhoe 8 21.49x
Widnes 8 6.54x
Alloa 7 12.22x
Birmingham 7 0.58x
Cornhill 7 218.07x
Cramond 7 48.21x
Culross 7 125.90x
Dunfermline 7 5.38x
East Kilbride 7 35.34x
Kingswinford 7 3.99x
Leeds 7 0.87x
Monkwearmouth Shore 7 8.43x
North Leith 7 7.90x
Perth East Church 7 11.57x
St Pancras London 7 0.61x
Bothwell 6 4.78x
Colinton 6 28.09x
Eccles 6 79.05x
Edinburgh Greenside 6 23.71x
Hawick 6 10.35x
Knapdale North 6 132.45x
Leamington 6 25.10x
Monk Bretton 6 41.81x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 6 21.44x
Paston 6 714.29x
Preston 6 1.32x
Renfrew 6 16.39x
Selkirk 6 16.46x
West Greenock 6 3.02x
Barrow In Furness 5 2.17x
Edinburgh Canongate 5 10.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 36
Margaret 22
Elizabeth 18
Jane 18
Isabella 13
Sarah 10
Annie 9
Eliza 9
Ann 8
Fanny 8
Martha 8
Catherine 7
Emma 6
Agnes 5
Ellen 5
Florence 5
Alice 4
Dorothy 4
Esther 4
Frances 4
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Margt. 3
Ruth 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Deborah 2
Elizth. 2
Ethel 2
Gertrude 2
Helen 2
Janet 2
Jessie 2
Rachel 2
Rose 2
Amy 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Christina 1
Eleanor 1
Eveline 1
Helena 1
Isabell 1
Jean 1
Johanna 1
Lavina 1
Leadia 1
Letitia 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 38
John 34
James 26
Thomas 24
George 12
Henry 10
Joseph 9
Robert 8
Charles 5
Edward 5
Walter 5
Samuel 4
Wm. 4
Adam 3
Alfred 3
Francis 3
Albert 2
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Barker 2
Benjamin 2
Cornelius 2
David 2
Fredrick 2
Richard 2
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Havelock 1
Hugh 1
Infant 1
Isiah 1
J.B. 1
Jacob 1
Joel 1
Joshua 1
Lancalot 1
Lawrance 1
Lional 1
Mattw. 1
Michael 1
Moses 1
Niel 1
Pearson 1
Peter 1
Ralph 1

FAQ

Fairley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fairley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,473 people were recorded with the Fairley surname. That placed it at #2,834 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fairley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,388 in 2016. That gives Fairley a modern rank of #2,750.

What does the Fairley surname mean?

From the Old English words "fager" and "leah," meaning a beautiful or fair clearing or meadow.

What does the Fairley map show?

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