NameCensus.

UK surname

Farman

A Persian surname meaning "one who rules" or "leader."

In the 1881 census there were 565 people recorded with the Farman surname, ranking it #6,131 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 802, ranked #6,897, down from #6,131 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gorleston and Haddiscoe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Great Yarmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Farman is 877 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.9%.

1881 census count

565

Ranked #6,131

Modern count

802

2016, ranked #6,897

Peak year

1891

877 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Farman had 565 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,131 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 802 in 2016, ranked #6,897.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 877 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Farman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Farman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Farman 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 451 #5,469
1861 historical 758 #3,608
1881 historical 565 #6,131
1891 historical 877 #4,691
1901 historical 734 #6,034
1911 historical 834 #5,293
1997 modern 774 #6,716
1998 modern 783 #6,878
1999 modern 785 #6,907
2000 modern 793 #6,822
2001 modern 779 #6,782
2002 modern 802 #6,761
2003 modern 780 #6,796
2004 modern 793 #6,723
2005 modern 767 #6,830
2006 modern 764 #6,882
2007 modern 775 #6,873
2008 modern 786 #6,856
2009 modern 817 #6,762
2010 modern 821 #6,871
2011 modern 818 #6,820
2012 modern 788 #6,929
2013 modern 820 #6,801
2014 modern 816 #6,870
2015 modern 808 #6,870
2016 modern 802 #6,897

Geography

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Where Farmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gorleston, Haddiscoe and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Great Yarmouth. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gorleston Suffolk
4 Haddiscoe Norfolk
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Great Yarmouth 001 Great Yarmouth
2 Great Yarmouth 011 Great Yarmouth
3 Great Yarmouth 008 Great Yarmouth
4 Great Yarmouth 009 Great Yarmouth
5 Great Yarmouth 003 Great Yarmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Farman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Farman

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Farman, 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 Farman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Farman 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Farman is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Farman is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Farman falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Farman

The surname FARMAN is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "feormere," which means a farmer or someone responsible for managing a farm. The name was commonly found in areas of England such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname FARMAN can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire, a census-like document from 1273, where it is spelled as "Fermam." The name is also mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, where it appears as "Ferman."

In the 14th century, the surname FARMAN began to appear in various historical records across England. For instance, the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379 mentions a John Ferman, while the Feet of Fines for Nottinghamshire from 1395 records a Robert Farman.

Interestingly, the FARMAN surname is also linked to several place names in England, such as Farmanbydycke in Lincolnshire and Farmanby in Yorkshire. These place names likely originated from individuals bearing the FARMAN surname who owned or resided in those areas.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the FARMAN surname. One of the earliest was William Farman (c. 1330-1397), a prominent merchant and member of the Guild of Pepperers in London. Another was John Farman (1556-1622), an English clergyman and author known for his work "The Antiquity of Armorial Bearings."

In the 17th century, Thomas Farman (1612-1683) was a renowned English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Great Grimsby. During the 18th century, Samuel Farman (1713-1789) was a successful businessman and landowner from Lincolnshire.

One of the most famous individuals with the FARMAN surname was the French aviation pioneer, Henri Farman (1874-1958). Although born in France, his ancestors were of English descent, highlighting the surname's origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Farman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Farman 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. Norfolk leads with 152 Farmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.06x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 152 18.06x
Suffolk 138 20.70x
Middlesex 68 1.24x
Surrey 34 1.28x
Yorkshire 34 0.63x
Essex 25 2.31x
Gloucestershire 15 1.40x
Worcestershire 15 2.10x
Kent 13 0.70x
Lancashire 9 0.14x
Sussex 9 0.98x
Durham 8 0.49x
Cornwall 7 1.13x
Lanarkshire 7 0.40x
Warwickshire 7 0.51x
Hampshire 6 0.53x
Cambridgeshire 4 1.15x
Devon 4 0.35x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.43x
Leicestershire 1 0.16x
Northamptonshire 1 0.19x
Northumberland 1 0.12x
Renfrewshire 1 0.24x
Ross-shire 1 0.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 42 Farmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.26x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 42 60.26x
Lowestoft 30 95.27x
Camberwell 27 7.72x
Gorleston 24 141.76x
Fritton 22 4680.85x
Haddiscoe 20 2702.70x
Leeds 18 5.88x
Belton 17 1452.99x
Ipswich St Margaret 15 66.31x
Aldeby 11 916.67x
Hackney London 11 3.59x
Badsey 9 833.33x
Lewisham 9 9.04x
Leyton 8 42.99x
St George Hanover Square 8 8.30x
Birmingham 7 1.52x
Great Witchingham 7 654.21x
Hammersmith London 7 5.19x
Horsham 7 39.06x
Ipswich St Stephen 7 614.04x
St Pancras London 7 1.59x
Bow London 6 8.61x
Burlingham St Andrew 6 1818.18x
Colchester St Leonard 6 172.41x
Guisbrough 6 50.63x
Beccles 5 46.60x
Blofield 5 233.64x
Chipping Campden 5 143.27x
New Monkland 5 9.56x
Pakefield 5 301.20x
Shoreditch London 5 2.11x
St Ives 5 41.25x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 3.96x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 4 26.47x
Foulsham 4 224.72x
Grays Thurrock 4 39.84x
Mile End Old Town London 4 3.43x
Norwich St John Timberhill 4 176.99x
Norwich St Michael At 4 81.97x
Ormesby St Margaret W 4 189.57x
Oulton 4 177.78x
Sparham 4 689.66x
Upton With Fishley 4 400.00x
Bishop Burton 3 348.84x
Cornforth 3 62.63x
Fulham London 3 3.78x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 4.25x
Lymington 3 36.41x
Manchester 3 1.03x
Mattishall 3 178.57x
Preston 3 1.73x
Rockland St Mary 3 361.45x
Southcoates 3 9.97x
Thorpe Next Norwich 3 33.63x
West Ham 3 1.26x
Willesden 3 5.82x
Aston Subedge 2 869.57x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 5.59x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.55x
Colchester St Giles 2 18.74x
Dringhoe Upton Brough 2 689.66x
East Dereham 2 18.81x
Great Ryburgh 2 153.85x
Hilgay 2 63.29x
Ipswich St Clement 2 11.81x
Ipswich St Mary Key 2 115.61x
Ipswich St Mathew 2 10.71x
Ipswich St Peter 2 22.30x
Kensington London 2 0.66x
Lakenham 2 16.74x
Newington 2 0.99x
North Middle 2 384.62x
North Tuddenham 2 317.46x
North Walsham 2 32.95x
Old Monkland 2 2.85x
St George Bloomsbury 2 6.37x
Tibberton 2 307.69x
Wickhampton 2 714.29x
Hampton London 1 11.11x
Liverpool 1 0.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Sarah 21
Elizabeth 16
Ellen 14
Alice 11
Maria 11
Jane 9
Charlotte 8
Edith 8
Emma 8
Florence 7
Hannah 7
Lucy 7
Emily 6
Gertrude 6
Harriet 6
Susannah 6
Margaret 5
Ada 4
Ann 4
Harriett 4
Maryann 4
Eliza 3
Fanny 3
Helen 3
Martha 3
Rose 3
Adelaide 2
Agnes 2
Annie 2
Bessie 2
Blanche 2
Clara 2
Elvina 2
Ethel 2
Frances 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Marian 2
Matilda 2
Susan 2
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Eliabeth 1
Elizebeth 1
Elsie 1
Honoria 1
Isabella 1
Virtue 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 26
John 22
George 21
Charles 15
James 15
Robert 14
Henry 13
Samuel 13
Thomas 12
Frederick 8
Edward 7
Ernest 6
Joseph 6
Alfred 5
Benjamin 5
Arthur 4
Herbert 4
Albert 3
Ambrose 3
Earnest 3
Frank 3
Walter 3
Abraham 2
Edgar 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Horace 2
Jacob 2
Richard 2
Robt. 2
Wm. 2
Alban 1
Anath 1
Ashley 1
Benj. 1
Bulmer 1
Charls 1
Federick 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
H. 1
Infant 1
J. 1
Laben 1
Last 1
Malonas 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1

FAQ

Farman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Farman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 565 people were recorded with the Farman surname. That placed it at #6,131 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Farman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 802 in 2016. That gives Farman a modern rank of #6,897.

What does the Farman surname mean?

A Persian surname meaning "one who rules" or "leader."

What does the Farman map show?

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