NameCensus.

UK surname

Farrel

A surname derived from the Irish Gaelic word "Fearghal", meaning "man of valor".

In the 1881 census there were 671 people recorded with the Farrel surname, ranking it #5,378 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 164, ranked #22,314, down from #5,378 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mount Vernon North and Sandyhills, South Gloucestershire and Braintree.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Farrel is 671 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 75.6%.

1881 census count

671

Ranked #5,378

Modern count

164

2016, ranked #22,314

Peak year

1881

671 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Farrel had 671 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,378 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016, ranked #22,314.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 671 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Farrel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Farrel surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Farrel 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 463 #5,359
1861 historical 559 #4,715
1881 historical 671 #5,378
1891 historical 412 #8,653
1901 historical 337 #10,735
1911 historical 142 #18,487
1997 modern 156 #20,593
1998 modern 164 #20,505
1999 modern 155 #21,375
2000 modern 143 #22,457
2001 modern 139 #22,541
2002 modern 143 #22,595
2003 modern 150 #21,669
2004 modern 147 #22,094
2005 modern 140 #22,774
2006 modern 138 #23,156
2007 modern 150 #22,212
2008 modern 148 #22,627
2009 modern 156 #22,351
2010 modern 170 #21,560
2011 modern 174 #21,096
2012 modern 172 #21,219
2013 modern 169 #21,826
2014 modern 168 #22,075
2015 modern 164 #22,325
2016 modern 164 #22,314

Geography

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Where Farrels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Manchester, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mount Vernon North and Sandyhills, South Gloucestershire, Braintree, Baillieston East and Howden. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mount Vernon North and Sandyhills Glasgow City
2 South Gloucestershire 017 South Gloucestershire
3 Braintree 002 Braintree
4 Baillieston East Glasgow City
5 Howden West Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Farrel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Farrel

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Farrel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Farrel household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Farrel is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Farrel 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

Farrel 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 Farrel is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Farrel

The surname Farrel is a variant spelling of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Fearghail, meaning "descendant of Fearghal". This name is derived from the Old Irish personal name Fergal, which is composed of the elements "fear" meaning "man" and "gal" meaning "valor" or "bravery". The Ó Fearghail clan originated in County Longford, Ireland.

The name Farrel can be traced back to the 11th century in Irish records and manuscripts. One of the earliest known bearers of this surname was Fearghal Ua Fearghail, who was mentioned in the Annals of Ulster in 1092 as the ruler of Muintir Anghaile (modern-day County Longford).

In the 13th century, the Farrel family was prominent in County Longford and neighboring counties. In 1305, the Annals of Clonmacnoise recorded a conflict between the Farrels and the O'Ferralls, another branch of the same family.

The surname Farrel has several historical spellings, including Ferrell, Farrell, Farrelly, and O'Farrell. One of the earliest recorded examples of the spelling "Farrel" can be found in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which mentions a Patrick Farrel in County Longford in 1570.

Notable individuals with the surname Farrel throughout history include:

1. Richard Farrel (c. 1530-1597), an Irish Jesuit and missionary who worked in Brazil and was known for his efforts to convert indigenous peoples.

2. Michael Farrell (1585-1654), an Irish Franciscan friar and author who wrote several works on philosophy and theology.

3. Eliza Farrel (1788-1880), an English author and poet who published several collections of poetry and novels.

4. Walter Farrel (1831-1909), an Irish-American journalist and newspaper editor who worked for the New York Herald and other publications.

5. James Farrell (1904-1979), an American novelist and short story writer, known for his Studs Lonigan trilogy, which depicted the lives of Irish-Americans in Chicago.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Farrel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Farrel 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 158 Farrels recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.01x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 158 2.01x
Lanarkshire 91 4.24x
Yorkshire 57 0.87x
Durham 47 2.38x
Angus 31 5.04x
Staffordshire 29 1.30x
Midlothian 21 2.36x
Lincolnshire 19 1.79x
Middlesex 18 0.27x
Northumberland 18 1.82x
Monmouthshire 15 3.13x
Renfrewshire 15 2.92x
East Lothian 12 13.66x
Warwickshire 12 0.72x
Channel Islands 11 5.60x
Devon 10 0.72x
Hampshire 9 0.66x
Kirkcudbrightshire 9 9.37x
Stirlingshire 9 3.68x
Surrey 9 0.28x
Cornwall 8 1.07x
Derbyshire 8 0.77x
Cheshire 7 0.48x
Kent 7 0.31x
Dunbartonshire 6 3.37x
Glamorgan 6 0.52x
Brecknockshire 5 3.77x
Cumberland 5 0.88x
Ayrshire 4 0.81x
Flintshire 4 2.24x
Wigtownshire 3 3.41x
Dumfriesshire 2 1.36x
Fife 2 0.51x
West Lothian 2 2.00x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.16x
Herefordshire 1 0.37x
Isle of Man 1 0.81x
Leicestershire 1 0.14x
Northamptonshire 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 1.27x
Selkirkshire 1 1.67x
Shropshire 1 0.17x
Somerset 1 0.09x
Suffolk 1 0.12x
Sussex 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 24 Farrels recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.02x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 24 5.02x
Govan 22 4.15x
Dundee 17 7.41x
West Derby 17 7.38x
Barony 16 2.95x
Bedwellty 15 17.72x
Dalserf 14 65.39x
Dunbar 12 97.40x
Glasgow 12 3.15x
Kirkdale 12 9.06x
Liff Benvie 12 12.86x
Leeds 11 2.96x
Birmingham 10 1.79x
Bradford 10 6.28x
Edinburgh Canongate 10 44.21x
Sheffield 10 4.78x
Great Grimsby 9 13.37x
Wolborough 9 51.58x
Framwellgate 8 68.43x
Illogan 8 40.24x
Preston 8 3.80x
Barrow In Furness 7 6.54x
Bishopwearmouth 7 4.13x
East Greenock 7 14.42x
Hammerwich 7 220.13x
Louth 7 28.79x
Preston 7 192.84x
St Peter Port 7 19.25x
Bothwell 6 10.31x
Gorbals 6 47.13x
Lambeth 6 1.04x
Middlesbrough 6 7.01x
Old Kilpatrick 6 28.49x
Shotton 6 122.95x
Slamannan 6 44.78x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 2.53x
Temple 6 169.97x
Urr 6 48.04x
Westgate 6 9.82x
Whitworth 6 41.52x
Widnes 6 10.57x
Wolverhampton 6 3.49x
Derby All Sts 5 57.67x
Llanelly 5 31.51x
Newcastle Under Lyme 5 12.62x
Ryde 5 17.12x
Salford 5 2.16x
Swansea Town 5 5.28x
Toxteth Park 5 1.88x
Westoe 5 4.47x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 2.33x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.39x
Halliwell 4 13.96x
Lydiate 4 163.27x
Manchester 4 1.13x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 4 30.82x
Northop 4 63.39x
Pendleton In Salford 4 4.27x
Sopley 4 213.90x
Barrowford Booth 3 34.44x
Barton Upon Irwell 3 5.06x
Blackley 3 21.74x
Broughton In Salford 3 4.17x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 2.40x
Farnworth 3 6.36x
Hamilton 3 5.01x
Kirkcudbright 3 37.74x
Neilston 3 11.62x
North Shields 3 15.23x
Northowram 3 6.51x
Prestwich 3 15.27x
Southwick 3 16.05x
St Peter 3 52.91x
Tanfield 3 12.78x
Thornley 3 42.02x
Walsall Foreign 3 2.59x
Windle 3 6.77x
Witton Gilbert 3 38.51x
Lesmahagow 2 8.81x
Paisley Low Church 2 12.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 46
Ann 18
Bridget 16
Catherine 15
Margaret 15
Ellen 14
Annie 10
Elizabeth 10
Jane 7
Eliza 6
Emma 5
Julia 5
Kate 5
Rose 5
Maria 4
Sarah 4
Susan 4
Alice 3
Fanny 3
Agnes 2
E. 2
Harriet 2
M. 2
Martha 2
B. 1
Catharine 1
Catherne 1
Cathrine 1
Clara 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
H. 1
Horner 1
Isabella 1
Janey 1
Katherine 1
Lewisa 1
Lillian 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
M.A. 1
Maggie 1
Maira 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 42
James 23
Thomas 19
Patrick 15
William 15
Michael 13
Edward 10
Joseph 8
Robert 7
George 6
Peter 5
Frank 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Daniel 3
Bartholomew 2
Dennis 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
J. 2
Mathew 2
Richard 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Barned 1
Barnet 1
Bernard 1
Booth 1
Denis 1
Edwd. 1
Fred. 1
Geo.R. 1
Hugh 1
Infant 1
Joe 1
Laurence 1
Louis 1
Martin 1
Mechael 1
Micheal 1
Michel 1
Pat 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Samuel 1
Thady 1

FAQ

Farrel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Farrel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 671 people were recorded with the Farrel surname. That placed it at #5,378 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Farrel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016. That gives Farrel a modern rank of #22,314.

What does the Farrel surname mean?

A surname derived from the Irish Gaelic word "Fearghal", meaning "man of valor".

What does the Farrel map show?

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