NameCensus.

UK surname

Faller

An occupational surname for someone who operated a mill or worked as a fuller, cleaning and thickening cloth.

In the 1881 census there were 92 people recorded with the Faller surname, ranking it #20,709 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 239, ranked #17,322, up from #20,709 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Brighton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Greenock Town Centre and East Central, Blackburn with Darwen and Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Faller is 322 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 159.8%.

1881 census count

92

Ranked #20,709

Modern count

239

2016, ranked #17,322

Peak year

1861

322 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Faller had 92 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,709 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 239 in 2016, ranked #17,322.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 322 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Faller surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Faller surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Faller 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 119 #15,247
1861 historical 322 #7,911
1881 historical 92 #20,709
1891 historical 274 #11,880
1901 historical 170 #16,762
1911 historical 145 #18,255
1997 modern 178 #18,958
1998 modern 193 #18,511
1999 modern 192 #18,689
2000 modern 204 #17,987
2001 modern 197 #18,108
2002 modern 200 #18,294
2003 modern 196 #18,358
2004 modern 204 #17,992
2005 modern 200 #18,144
2006 modern 208 #17,835
2007 modern 208 #18,013
2008 modern 213 #17,903
2009 modern 224 #17,685
2010 modern 233 #17,606
2011 modern 223 #17,940
2012 modern 215 #18,304
2013 modern 227 #17,922
2014 modern 235 #17,619
2015 modern 237 #17,413
2016 modern 239 #17,322

Geography

Back to top

Where Fallers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Brighton, Glasgow and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Greenock Town Centre and East Central, Blackburn with Darwen, Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central, Rugby and Sunderland. 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Brighton Sussex
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde
2 Blackburn with Darwen 008 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central Inverclyde
4 Rugby 004 Rugby
5 Sunderland 027 Sunderland

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Faller

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Faller

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Faller surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Faller household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Faller is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Faller 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

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

Meaning and origin of Faller

The surname Faller has its origins in Germany and is an occupational name for a person who was a maker or seller of fells or pelts. It is derived from the Middle High German word 'valære' which means 'skinner' or 'fell-monger'. The earliest recorded spelling of the name dates back to the 13th century.

The name Faller can be found in various historical records and manuscripts, including the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval charters and documents from Germany. One notable mention is from the year 1295, where a certain Conrad Faller is listed as a citizen of the town of Nuremberg.

In the 14th century, a branch of the Faller family settled in the region of Saxony, where they were involved in the fur trade. Records from this period show several Fallers serving as members of local guilds and councils.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Faller was Hans Faller, a furrier who lived in Augsburg, Germany in the late 15th century. He is mentioned in the city's tax records from 1487.

Another notable bearer of the name was Johann Faller (1580-1642), a German theologian and author who was a professor at the University of Tübingen. His works included several religious texts and commentaries.

During the 17th century, the Faller name can be found in various parts of Germany, including the regions of Bavaria, Swabia, and the Palatinate. One prominent figure from this time was Matthias Faller (1634-1706), a Lutheran pastor and author from Nuremberg.

In the 18th century, a branch of the Faller family settled in the town of Freiburg im Breisgau, in the Black Forest region of Germany. One member of this family, Johann Georg Faller (1761-1826), was a respected lawyer and magistrate in the town.

Another notable Faller was the German painter and engraver Johann Michael Faller (1769-1829), who was born in Würzburg and is known for his landscapes and city views.

As the Faller name spread across Germany and into neighboring countries, it also acquired various regional spellings and variations, such as Fahler, Fäller, and Feller.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Faller families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Faller 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. Middlesex leads with 22 Fallers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.45x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 22 2.45x
Lancashire 16 1.50x
Yorkshire 9 1.01x
Glamorgan 6 3.84x
Inverness-shire 6 22.39x
Renfrewshire 6 8.63x
Somerset 5 3.46x
Gloucestershire 4 2.27x
Hampshire 4 2.17x
Lanarkshire 4 1.38x
Staffordshire 3 0.99x
Monmouthshire 2 3.08x
Northumberland 2 1.50x
Surrey 2 0.46x
Sussex 1 0.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Over Darwen in Lancashire leads with 12 Fallers recorded in 1881 and an index of 141.01x.

Place Total Index
Over Darwen 12 141.01x
St Marylebone London 7 14.61x
Inverness 6 89.02x
Leeds 6 11.95x
West Greenock 6 48.08x
Chard 5 285.71x
Ystradyfodwg 5 36.47x
Gorbals 4 232.56x
Hammersmith London 4 18.09x
Portsea 4 11.10x
Hackney London 3 5.96x
St Pancras London 3 4.15x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 9.34x
Bedwellty 2 17.47x
Bethnal Green London 2 5.13x
Bristol Christchurch 2 769.23x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 12.07x
Clerkenwell London 2 9.44x
Everton 2 5.89x
Livesey 2 106.95x
Aberdare 1 9.32x
Battersea 1 3.03x
Bermondsey 1 3.74x
Craster 1 1428.57x
Denton 1 666.67x
Holy Trinity 1 4.68x
Mexborough 1 56.50x
St George Bloomsbury 1 19.42x
Westgate 1 12.09x
York St Helen Stonegate 1 714.29x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Frederick 3
James 3
John 3
Albert 2
Fredrick 2
Joseph 2
Lewis 2
Robert 2
Theodore 2
Adolf 1
Andreas 1
Andrew 1
Benedict 1
Carl 1
Cornelius 1
Dormo 1
Frank 1
George 1
Havier 1
Henry 1
Liberae 1
Lorehz 1
Matthew 1
Otho 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1
Whiteside 1

FAQ

Faller surname: questions and answers

How common was the Faller surname in 1881?

In 1881, 92 people were recorded with the Faller surname. That placed it at #20,709 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Faller surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 239 in 2016. That gives Faller a modern rank of #17,322.

What does the Faller surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who operated a mill or worked as a fuller, cleaning and thickening cloth.

What does the Faller map show?

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