NameCensus.

UK surname

Fantom

A surname potentially derived from the French phrase "faon tome" meaning "tawny fawn color".

In the 1881 census there were 142 people recorded with the Fantom surname, ranking it #16,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 313, ranked #14,318, up from #16,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Shirland and Ibstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North West Leicestershire, North East Derbyshire and Amber Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fantom is 335 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 120.4%.

1881 census count

142

Ranked #16,012

Modern count

313

2016, ranked #14,318

Peak year

2009

335 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fantom had 142 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 313 in 2016, ranked #14,318.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 160 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fantom surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fantom surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fantom 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 79 #19,712
1861 historical 72 #24,643
1881 historical 142 #16,012
1891 historical 107 #22,967
1901 historical 119 #20,624
1911 historical 160 #17,151
1997 modern 321 #12,941
1998 modern 325 #13,166
1999 modern 311 #13,642
2000 modern 325 #13,221
2001 modern 324 #13,062
2002 modern 326 #13,241
2003 modern 318 #13,291
2004 modern 303 #13,812
2005 modern 297 #13,916
2006 modern 312 #13,554
2007 modern 319 #13,474
2008 modern 334 #13,142
2009 modern 335 #13,381
2010 modern 329 #13,818
2011 modern 333 #13,577
2012 modern 329 #13,593
2013 modern 329 #13,810
2014 modern 329 #13,918
2015 modern 318 #14,155
2016 modern 313 #14,318

Geography

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Where Fantoms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Shirland, Ibstock, Wingfield, South and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North West Leicestershire, North East Derbyshire and Amber Valley. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Shirland Derbyshire
3 Ibstock Leicestershire
4 Wingfield, South Derbyshire
5 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North West Leicestershire 013 North West Leicestershire
2 North East Derbyshire 009 North East Derbyshire
3 Amber Valley 001 Amber Valley
4 Amber Valley 002 Amber Valley
5 North East Derbyshire 011 North East Derbyshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fantom

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fantom

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Fantom surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Fantom household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Fantom is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fantom is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fantom falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Fantom

The surname Fantom is believed to have originated in England in the late Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "fantasme," which means "specter" or "ghost." This suggests that the name may have been used as a nickname or descriptive name for someone who had a pale or ghostly appearance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Feet of Fines records for Warwickshire in 1390, where a man named John Fantom is mentioned. The Feet of Fines were legal documents used to record the transfer of land ownership during this time period.

In the 15th century, there are records of a family named Fantom residing in the village of Wootton Wawen in Warwickshire. The name is also found in various parish records and tax rolls from this region during the 1400s and 1500s.

The Fantom name appears to have been concentrated in the West Midlands region of England during the medieval and early modern periods. However, there are also records of individuals with this surname in other parts of the country, such as London and Kent.

One notable individual with the surname Fantom was Sir Richard Fantom (c. 1575-1643), a wealthy landowner and member of the English gentry from Worcestershire. He served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire in the early 17th century.

Another figure of note was Edward Fantom (1593-1669), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge from 1647 until his death.

In the 18th century, there was a family of Fantoms residing in the village of Nether Broughton, Leicestershire. One member of this family, John Fantom (1720-1790), was a notable clockmaker and inventor who developed several improvements to timepiece mechanisms.

The name Fantom is also found in various parish records and court documents from the 16th to 19th centuries, indicating that it remained a relatively uncommon but persistent surname in various parts of England during this time period.

One final individual of note was Sir Granville Bantock Fantom (1844-1916), a British Army officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of the Falkland Islands from 1904 to 1914.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fantom families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fantom 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. Worcestershire leads with 54 Fantoms recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.44x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 54 29.44x
Derbyshire 30 13.64x
Cheshire 20 6.45x
Lancashire 15 0.90x
Leicestershire 6 3.85x
Yorkshire 6 0.43x
Aberdeenshire 4 3.07x
Staffordshire 3 0.63x
Warwickshire 3 0.85x
Somerset 2 0.88x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldbury in Worcestershire leads with 46 Fantoms recorded in 1881 and an index of 509.98x.

Place Total Index
Oldbury 46 509.98x
Wingfield South 21 3559.32x
Stockport 15 93.99x
Crich 8 555.56x
West Bromwich 7 2413.79x
Hugglescote 6 262.01x
Manchester 6 8.01x
Heaton Norris 5 52.69x
Disley Stanley 4 250.00x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 14.13x
Reddish 4 173.91x
Aston 3 3.08x
Harborne 3 19.74x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 2 8.22x
Bedminster 2 9.41x
Holbeck 2 21.69x
Kincardine O Neil 2 215.05x
Basford 1 11.45x
Beoley 1 344.83x
Bramhall 1 78.13x
Normanton 1 53.76x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Fantom surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fantom surname in 1881?

In 1881, 142 people were recorded with the Fantom surname. That placed it at #16,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fantom surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 313 in 2016. That gives Fantom a modern rank of #14,318.

What does the Fantom surname mean?

A surname potentially derived from the French phrase "faon tome" meaning "tawny fawn color".

What does the Fantom map show?

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