NameCensus.

UK surname

Farrance

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "journey" or "travel."

In the 1881 census there were 252 people recorded with the Farrance surname, ranking it #11,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 295, ranked #14,915, down from #11,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Foxearth, Lewisham and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Cornwall and Sedgemoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Farrance is 374 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.1%.

1881 census count

252

Ranked #11,012

Modern count

295

2016, ranked #14,915

Peak year

1911

374 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Farrance had 252 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 295 in 2016, ranked #14,915.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 374 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Farrance surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Farrance surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Farrance 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 191 #10,808
1861 historical 208 #11,642
1881 historical 252 #11,012
1891 historical 301 #11,092
1901 historical 351 #10,415
1911 historical 374 #9,770
1997 modern 328 #12,758
1998 modern 318 #13,362
1999 modern 317 #13,473
2000 modern 320 #13,360
2001 modern 307 #13,539
2002 modern 298 #14,048
2003 modern 300 #13,823
2004 modern 302 #13,833
2005 modern 305 #13,689
2006 modern 302 #13,863
2007 modern 301 #14,022
2008 modern 312 #13,764
2009 modern 322 #13,741
2010 modern 310 #14,378
2011 modern 310 #14,292
2012 modern 288 #14,934
2013 modern 299 #14,780
2014 modern 299 #14,880
2015 modern 295 #14,935
2016 modern 295 #14,915

Geography

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Where Farrances are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Foxearth, Lewisham, London parishes, Glemsford and Stansfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, Cornwall, Sedgemoor, St Edmundsbury and Haringey. 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 Foxearth Suffolk
2 Lewisham London (South Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Glemsford Suffolk
5 Stansfield Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 002 Babergh
2 Cornwall 048 Cornwall
3 Sedgemoor 009 Sedgemoor
4 St Edmundsbury 008 St Edmundsbury
5 Haringey 028 Haringey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Farrance

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Farrance

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Farrance is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Farrance 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

Farrance falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Farrance

The surname Farrance is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a variant spelling of the French surname Farance, which itself is derived from the Old French word "ferant," meaning "striker" or "one who strikes." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a blacksmith or a soldier.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Farrance can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, a historical record of tax payments made to the English Crown. In the year 1221, a Robert Farrance is listed as a landowner in the village of Bibury.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various spellings, such as Farance, Faraunce, and Farraunce, in various parts of England, including Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Somerset. This indicates that the name had spread across multiple counties by this time.

During the 14th century, the Farrance surname is mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire, a survey of landholdings conducted in 1274-1275. This document records a William Farrance as a tenant in the village of Bledlow.

One notable bearer of the Farrance surname was John Farrance, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol in the late 15th century. He served as the mayor of Bristol in 1487 and was involved in the city's maritime trade.

Another significant figure was Sir Edward Farrance, a wealthy landowner and member of the English gentry in the 16th century. He was born in Gloucestershire in 1525 and held estates in several counties, including Wiltshire and Somerset.

In the 17th century, the Farrance family established themselves in the county of Devon, where they were involved in agriculture and land ownership. One notable member was Robert Farrance (1620-1690), a wealthy landowner and justice of the peace in the village of Crediton.

The surname Farrance also has a connection to the town of Farringdon in Oxfordshire, which may have influenced some variations of the spelling, such as Farringdon or Farringdonne.

Other notable individuals with the Farrance surname include William Farrance (1675-1737), a successful merchant and shipowner in the city of Bristol, and Thomas Farrance (1712-1783), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Farrance families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Farrance 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. Kent leads with 73 Farrances recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.70x.

County Total Index
Kent 73 8.70x
Essex 43 8.86x
Suffolk 38 12.69x
Middlesex 37 1.51x
Surrey 23 1.92x
Somerset 17 4.30x
Sussex 8 1.93x
Lancashire 5 0.17x
Yorkshire 3 0.12x
Glamorgan 2 0.47x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.64x
Hampshire 1 0.20x
Hertfordshire 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glemsford in Suffolk leads with 19 Farrances recorded in 1881 and an index of 904.76x.

Place Total Index
Glemsford 19 904.76x
Dagenham 14 484.43x
Lewisham 13 29.07x
Bridgewater 12 111.73x
Foxearth 11 3235.29x
Hackney London 11 7.98x
Lambeth 11 5.13x
Barking 10 70.42x
Hartest 9 1730.77x
Clerkenwell London 7 12.06x
Islington London 7 2.94x
Pluckley 7 897.44x
Southfleet 7 897.44x
Stansfield 7 2000.00x
Bulmer 6 1016.95x
Eastbourne 6 31.46x
Greenwich 6 15.33x
Maidstone 6 24.02x
Ebony 5 3333.33x
Kensington London 5 3.66x
Tonbridge 5 16.53x
Bermondsey 4 5.47x
Bethersden 4 470.59x
Canterbury St Paul 4 264.90x
Ditton 4 336.13x
Sutton Valence 4 421.05x
North Petherton 3 94.04x
Sutton 3 34.60x
Ashford 2 24.48x
Crayford 2 54.64x
Dartford 2 23.31x
Handsworth 2 31.06x
Kirby Le Soken 2 285.71x
Lee 2 16.42x
Long Melford 2 71.94x
Mile End Old Town London 2 3.82x
Rotherhithe 2 6.59x
Weston Super Mare 2 20.02x
Battersea 1 1.11x
Camberwell 1 0.64x
Chelsea London 1 1.35x
Denton In North 1 555.56x
Dewsbury 1 4.00x
Enfield 1 6.20x
Habergham Eaves 1 3.75x
Hendon 1 11.31x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 1 59.17x
Ifield 1 57.80x
Newington 1 1.10x
Preston 1 13.81x
Ringwood 1 31.06x
Roath 1 5.14x
Shadwell London 1 14.53x
Shoreham 1 84.03x
St Albans St Peter 1 17.48x
St Ann Blackfriars London 1 222.22x
St Peters 1 25.77x
Sudbury St Peter 1 60.98x
Swansea 1 208.33x
Whitstable 1 24.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 16
William 16
Charles 9
James 9
Arthur 6
Alfred 5
Henry 5
John 5
Thomas 5
Joseph 4
Daniel 3
Ernest 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
David 2
Edgar 2
Edward 2
Franklin 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Anthon 1
Barnabas 1
Benjamin 1
Bertram 1
D. 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Hugh 1
Infant 1
Jules 1
Mark 1
Nelson 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Farrance surname: questions and answers

How common was the Farrance surname in 1881?

In 1881, 252 people were recorded with the Farrance surname. That placed it at #11,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Farrance surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 295 in 2016. That gives Farrance a modern rank of #14,915.

What does the Farrance surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "journey" or "travel."

What does the Farrance map show?

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