NameCensus.

UK surname

Fairnington

In the 1881 census there were 30 people recorded with the Fairnington surname, ranking it #29,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 120, ranked #27,563, up from #29,363 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Edinburgh and Branxton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Allerdale and Plymouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fairnington is 122 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 300.0%.

1881 census count

30

Ranked #29,363

Modern count

120

2016, ranked #27,563

Peak year

2015

122 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fairnington had 30 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,363 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016, ranked #27,563.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 111 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Fairnington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fairnington surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fairnington 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 50 #24,274
1861 historical 42 #28,691
1881 historical 30 #29,363
1891 historical 94 #24,820
1901 historical 111 #21,492
1911 historical 83 #24,531
1997 modern 116 #24,688
1998 modern 110 #26,129
1999 modern 115 #25,620
2000 modern 118 #25,197
2001 modern 115 #25,222
2002 modern 115 #25,749
2003 modern 117 #25,282
2004 modern 116 #25,580
2005 modern 117 #25,433
2006 modern 116 #25,813
2007 modern 107 #27,557
2008 modern 113 #26,920
2009 modern 117 #26,927
2010 modern 112 #28,336
2011 modern 118 #27,192
2012 modern 108 #28,849
2013 modern 121 #27,255
2014 modern 120 #27,646
2015 modern 122 #27,245
2016 modern 120 #27,563

Geography

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Where Fairningtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Edinburgh, Branxton, Wooler, Doddington (Nesbitt) and Jedburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Allerdale, Plymouth and Rosyth North. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Branxton Northumberland
4 Wooler, Doddington (Nesbitt) Northumberland
5 Jedburgh Roxburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
2 Allerdale 003 Allerdale
3 Northumberland 002 Northumberland
4 Plymouth 004 Plymouth
5 Rosyth North Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fairnington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fairnington

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Fairnington is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fairnington 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

Fairnington falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Fairnington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fairnington 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. Northumberland leads with 9 Fairningtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.22x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 9 17.22x
Durham 7 6.70x
Isle of Man 6 92.02x
Roxburghshire 6 94.34x
Middlesex 4 1.14x
Berwickshire 3 70.59x
Midlothian 1 2.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Shields in Durham leads with 7 Fairningtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 752.69x.

Place Total Index
South Shields 7 752.69x
Carham 6 4285.71x
Jedburgh 6 967.74x
Maughold 6 1200.00x
Coldstream 3 967.74x
Little Tosson 3 0.00x
St Marylebone London 3 16.00x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 109.89x
Islington London 1 2.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Alice 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Ann 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Isabella 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Charles 2
Andrew 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1
William 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 Fairnington households.

FAQ

Fairnington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fairnington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 30 people were recorded with the Fairnington surname. That placed it at #29,363 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fairnington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016. That gives Fairnington a modern rank of #27,563.

What does the Fairnington map show?

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