NameCensus.

UK surname

Faith

A virtue name adopted as a surname by those who valued the Christian concept of faith.

In the 1881 census there were 275 people recorded with the Faith surname, ranking it #10,330 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 405, ranked #11,774, down from #10,330 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Old Deer, London parishes and Brighton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Sussex, Westminster and Harrogate.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Faith is 405 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.3%.

1881 census count

275

Ranked #10,330

Modern count

405

2016, ranked #11,774

Peak year

2016

405 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Faith had 275 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,330 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 405 in 2016, ranked #11,774.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 391 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Faith surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Faith surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Faith 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 192 #10,756
1861 historical 391 #6,549
1881 historical 275 #10,330
1891 historical 261 #12,337
1901 historical 238 #13,528
1911 historical 252 #12,834
1997 modern 330 #12,701
1998 modern 327 #13,126
1999 modern 334 #13,022
2000 modern 338 #12,877
2001 modern 339 #12,641
2002 modern 354 #12,490
2003 modern 355 #12,285
2004 modern 339 #12,744
2005 modern 330 #12,939
2006 modern 337 #12,810
2007 modern 340 #12,872
2008 modern 341 #12,958
2009 modern 369 #12,447
2010 modern 379 #12,483
2011 modern 393 #12,017
2012 modern 393 #11,874
2013 modern 398 #11,967
2014 modern 402 #11,949
2015 modern 402 #11,861
2016 modern 405 #11,774

Geography

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Where Faiths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Old Deer, London parishes, Brighton, Sidlesham and Chichester St Andrew. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Sussex, Westminster, Harrogate, Ryedale and Horsham. 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 Old Deer Aberdeen
2 London parishes London 3
3 Brighton Sussex
4 Sidlesham Sussex
5 Chichester St Andrew Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Sussex 017 Mid Sussex
2 Westminster 020 Westminster
3 Harrogate 013 Harrogate
4 Ryedale 007 Ryedale
5 Horsham 001 Horsham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Faith

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Faith

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Faith surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Faith household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Faith 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

Faith is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Faith

The surname Faith has its origins in England, dating back to the late 16th century. It is an English surname derived from the word "faith," meaning religious belief or trust. The name likely originated as a nickname or descriptive surname for someone who was particularly devout or religious.

In the early days, the name was sometimes spelled as "Fayth" or "Feyth," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time period. The earliest known record of the surname Faith appears in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Navenby, Lincolnshire, where a John Fayth was mentioned in 1592.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname Faith became more widespread across England, particularly in the counties of Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Lancashire. Notable bearers of the name included John Faith (1617-1690), an English clergyman and author from Lincolnshire, and William Faith (1690-1763), a prominent bookseller and publisher in London.

The surname Faith also has historical connections to the English Civil War. In 1642, a man named Samuel Faith was appointed as the Governor of Plymouth, where he played a crucial role in defending the town against Royalist forces during the conflict.

Another notable figure with the surname Faith was James Faith (1788-1871), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a captain in the Royal Navy. He was born in Devonshire and had a distinguished career spanning several decades.

In the 19th century, the surname Faith was carried by Edward Faith (1808-1876), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Surgeons and the Church of St. Andrew in Holborn.

As people migrated from England to other parts of the world, the surname Faith spread to various countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, its roots can be traced back to the English origins and the meaning associated with religious faith or belief.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Faith families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Faith 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. Sussex leads with 57 Faiths recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.60x.

County Total Index
Sussex 57 12.60x
Middlesex 32 1.19x
Durham 29 3.63x
Lancashire 24 0.75x
Yorkshire 24 0.90x
Kent 21 2.29x
Aberdeenshire 20 8.05x
Surrey 17 1.30x
Cheshire 9 1.52x
Lanarkshire 7 0.81x
Lincolnshire 7 1.63x
Essex 6 1.13x
Hampshire 5 0.91x
Renfrewshire 4 1.92x
Oxfordshire 3 1.81x
Leicestershire 2 0.67x
Berkshire 1 0.50x
Derbyshire 1 0.24x
Devon 1 0.18x
Gloucestershire 1 0.19x
Northamptonshire 1 0.40x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.28x
Stirlingshire 1 1.01x
Warwickshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chichester St Andrew in Sussex leads with 15 Faiths recorded in 1881 and an index of 3191.49x.

Place Total Index
Chichester St Andrew 15 3191.49x
Old Deer 13 276.01x
St Anne Soho London 12 78.33x
Chichester St Pancras 11 814.81x
Middlesbrough 11 31.78x
Northfleet 10 124.07x
Brighton 8 8.77x
Chester Le Street 8 130.51x
Rainhill 8 392.16x
Sidlesham 8 919.54x
Stockton On Tees 8 20.80x
Coppull 7 411.76x
Gosberton 7 366.49x
Govan 7 3.26x
Lambeth 7 2.99x
Leeds 6 4.00x
St George Hanover Square 6 12.70x
Stranton 6 22.33x
West Ham 6 5.13x
Bishopwearmouth 5 7.30x
Selsey 5 602.41x
Buckland In Dover 4 132.01x
Chadderton 4 25.71x
Cruden 4 125.00x
East Greenock 4 20.38x
Newington 4 4.04x
Richmond 4 21.83x
Tottenham 4 9.36x
Willesden 4 15.82x
Bicester Market End 3 98.68x
Dover St Mary Virgin 3 33.86x
Faceby 3 1875.00x
Penton Grafton 3 697.67x
Preston 3 37.97x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 3 56.93x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 2.87x
Billington 2 153.85x
Birdham 2 465.12x
Broadwater 2 19.29x
Folkestone 2 11.27x
Inverurie 2 71.17x
Kirkleatham 2 55.71x
Lower Whitley 2 1000.00x
Newton In Ashton Under 2 34.25x
Subdeanery 2 58.31x
Westoe 2 4.42x
Campsie 1 18.42x
Chatham 1 3.97x
Chester St John Baptist 1 9.40x
Cookham 1 15.92x
Daventry 1 28.01x
East Retford 1 31.85x
East Teignmouth 1 43.86x
Eckington 1 9.80x
Hackney London 1 0.66x
Halifax 1 2.56x
Hammersmith London 1 1.51x
Hellingly 1 66.23x
Leicester All Sts 1 17.12x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.38x
Longside 1 33.67x
Matley 1 526.32x
Nuneaton 1 12.76x
Portchester 1 140.85x
Rotherhithe 1 3.02x
Shadwell London 1 13.32x
Speldhurst 1 21.46x
St Bartholomew Hyde 1 76.34x
St Martin In Fields 1 6.23x
St Pancras London 1 0.46x
Stonehouse 1 33.44x
Streatham 1 5.03x
Teddington London 1 16.45x
Thornton Le Moor 1 322.58x
Walton Le Dale 1 11.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Sarah 12
Elizabeth 11
Ann 7
Jane 6
Margaret 6
Annie 5
Alice 4
Eliza 4
Emily 3
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Ellen 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Julia 2
Laura 2
Lizzie 2
Louisa 2
Mabel 2
Margt. 2
Betty 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Clary 1
E. 1
Emma 1
Ester 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Hilda 1
Isabella 1
Joanna 1
Kate 1
Letitia 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
M.Ann 1
Marg. 1
Maud 1
Mercey 1
Minnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
Thomas 10
William 10
George 9
Alfred 5
Charles 5
James 4
Joseph 4
Frank 3
Harry 3
Robert 3
Adolphus 2
Arthur 2
Ch. 2
David 2
Herbert 2
Lawrence 2
Thos. 2
Albert 1
Allen 1
Aubrey 1
Cutht.C. 1
Dennis 1
Earnest 1
Ferdinand 1
Frederick 1
Harold 1
Henry 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Luke 1
Newton 1
Norman 1
Osmond 1
Owen 1
Peter 1
Ralph 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Faith surname: questions and answers

How common was the Faith surname in 1881?

In 1881, 275 people were recorded with the Faith surname. That placed it at #10,330 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Faith surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 405 in 2016. That gives Faith a modern rank of #11,774.

What does the Faith surname mean?

A virtue name adopted as a surname by those who valued the Christian concept of faith.

What does the Faith map show?

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