NameCensus.

UK surname

Farragher

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name O'Fearadhaigh meaning "descendant of Fearadhach".

In the 1881 census there were 24 people recorded with the Farragher surname, ranking it #30,215 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 296, ranked #14,882, up from #30,215 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wirral, Manchester and Richmond upon Thames.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Farragher is 296 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1133.3%.

1881 census count

24

Ranked #30,215

Modern count

296

2016, ranked #14,882

Peak year

2016

296 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Farragher had 24 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,215 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 296 in 2016, ranked #14,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 89 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Farragher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Farragher surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Farragher 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 19 #31,470
1881 historical 24 #30,215
1891 historical 53 #29,946
1901 historical 70 #26,383
1911 historical 89 #23,922
1997 modern 266 #14,658
1998 modern 270 #14,913
1999 modern 270 #14,992
2000 modern 286 #14,385
2001 modern 265 #14,915
2002 modern 273 #14,892
2003 modern 264 #15,071
2004 modern 252 #15,618
2005 modern 247 #15,763
2006 modern 244 #16,011
2007 modern 251 #15,861
2008 modern 253 #15,941
2009 modern 258 #16,050
2010 modern 281 #15,441
2011 modern 285 #15,140
2012 modern 273 #15,546
2013 modern 279 #15,574
2014 modern 290 #15,203
2015 modern 294 #14,971
2016 modern 296 #14,882

Geography

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Where Farraghers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wirral, Manchester and Richmond upon Thames. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wirral 016 Wirral
2 Wirral 020 Wirral
3 Manchester 031 Manchester
4 Richmond upon Thames 008 Richmond upon Thames
5 Wirral 010 Wirral

Forenames

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First names often paired with Farragher

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Farragher

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Farragher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Farragher household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Farragher is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Farragher 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

Farragher 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 Farragher is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Farragher, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Farragher

The surname Farragher is of Irish origin, with its roots traced back to the 16th century in County Mayo, Ireland. It is derived from the Gaelic word "fearachar," which translates to "man of arable land" or "ploughman." This suggests that the original bearers of this name were likely farmers or agricultural workers.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Farragher can be found in the Irish Annals from the 1500s, where it is spelled as "Fearagher." Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, Farragher. Some alternative spellings include Farrager, Farragher, and Farraghere.

In the 17th century, the name Farragher appeared in the Petty Census of Ireland, which was a survey conducted by Sir William Petty in 1659. This census provides valuable insights into the distribution of surnames across Ireland during that period.

One notable figure in Irish history who bore the surname Farragher was Patrick Farragher, a prominent leader in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. He was born in County Mayo in 1770 and played a significant role in organizing and leading the rebel forces in his region during the uprising against British rule.

Another individual of note is Michael Farragher, who lived in the 19th century and was a renowned storyteller and seanchaí (Irish traditional bearer of oral history and lore). He was known for his captivating tales and his ability to preserve and pass down the rich cultural heritage of County Mayo.

In the literary realm, John Farragher (1892-1966) was an Irish poet and writer who gained recognition for his works exploring the lives and experiences of the Irish people, particularly those living in rural areas.

The surname Farragher has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Farragher's Glen and Farragher's Hill, which are located in County Mayo. These place names likely derived from the presence of families bearing the Farragher surname in those areas.

While the surname Farragher is predominantly found in Ireland, particularly in County Mayo, it has also been carried by individuals who emigrated to other parts of the world, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia, during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Farragher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Farragher 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. Lancashire leads with 11 Farraghers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.96x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 11 3.96x
Staffordshire 6 7.60x
Cheshire 3 5.81x
Middlesex 2 0.85x
Warwickshire 2 3.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 6 Farraghers recorded in 1881 and an index of 98.85x.

Place Total Index
Wolverhampton 6 98.85x
Liverpool 5 29.66x
Pendleton In Salford 4 120.85x
Birkenhead 3 72.82x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 16.47x
Birmingham 1 5.08x
Islington London 1 4.41x
Toxteth Park 1 10.64x
Westminster St John 1 35.09x
Weston 1 5000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Ann 1
Ellen 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Margt. 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Michael 3
Thomas 3
William 2
James 1
Patrick 1
Stephen 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 Farragher households.

FAQ

Farragher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Farragher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 24 people were recorded with the Farragher surname. That placed it at #30,215 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Farragher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 296 in 2016. That gives Farragher a modern rank of #14,882.

What does the Farragher surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic name O'Fearadhaigh meaning "descendant of Fearadhach".

What does the Farragher map show?

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