NameCensus.

UK surname

Farrer

An occupational surname for a worker who shoes horses, a blacksmith specializing in farriery.

In the 1881 census there were 1,984 people recorded with the Farrer surname, ranking it #2,213 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,825, ranked #3,473, down from #2,213 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Calverley, London parishes and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland, Westminster and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Farrer is 2,405 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 8.0%.

1881 census count

1,984

Ranked #2,213

Modern count

1,825

2016, ranked #3,473

Peak year

1901

2,405 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Farrer had 1,984 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,213 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,825 in 2016, ranked #3,473.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,405 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Farrer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Farrer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Farrer 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 1,501 #1,914
1861 historical 1,269 #2,249
1881 historical 1,984 #2,213
1891 historical 2,059 #2,246
1901 historical 2,405 #2,258
1911 historical 2,223 #2,271
1997 modern 1,847 #3,258
1998 modern 1,930 #3,246
1999 modern 1,896 #3,327
2000 modern 1,915 #3,282
2001 modern 1,877 #3,271
2002 modern 1,903 #3,309
2003 modern 1,857 #3,301
2004 modern 1,868 #3,283
2005 modern 1,798 #3,371
2006 modern 1,807 #3,363
2007 modern 1,785 #3,433
2008 modern 1,771 #3,484
2009 modern 1,836 #3,452
2010 modern 1,903 #3,414
2011 modern 1,873 #3,415
2012 modern 1,827 #3,433
2013 modern 1,835 #3,475
2014 modern 1,843 #3,487
2015 modern 1,802 #3,519
2016 modern 1,825 #3,473

Geography

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Where Farrers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Calverley, London parishes and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Copeland, Westminster, South Lakeland and Sunderland. 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 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Copeland 004 Copeland
2 Westminster 009 Westminster
3 South Lakeland 011 South Lakeland
4 Copeland 006 Copeland
5 Sunderland 004 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Farrer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Farrer

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Farrer 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

Farrer is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Farrer falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Farrer

The surname Farrer is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English words "feor" meaning distant or far, and "ræra" meaning traveler or explorer. It is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, England, during the early medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Farrer can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Feorrour" and "Fereour." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the surname took on various spellings, such as "Ferrer," "Ferour," and "Farrour," reflecting the evolving nature of English orthography. It is also possible that the name was influenced by the Old French word "ferrier," meaning blacksmith or ironworker.

The earliest recorded bearer of the name was Sir John Farrer, a prominent landowner in Yorkshire, who lived during the 13th century. Another notable figure was Sir Robert Farrer, a member of the English Parliament in the late 14th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Farrer became associated with several places in England, such as Farrer's Close and Farrer's Fields in Yorkshire, and Farrer's End in Buckinghamshire.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Farrer was Thomas Farrer (1786-1874), an English politician and economist who served as a Member of Parliament and wrote extensively on financial and economic matters.

Another notable Farrer was Oliver Farrer (1798-1873), a British diplomat and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of St. Christopher and Nevis from 1836 to 1843.

In the literary world, Reginald John Farrer (1880-1920) was a renowned English botanist, plant explorer, and author, best known for his works on alpines and rock gardens.

The name Farrer has also been associated with various professions and trades throughout history, including agriculture, metalworking, and exploration, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and occupations of those who bore the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Farrer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Farrer 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. Yorkshire leads with 594 Farrers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.10x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 594 3.10x
Lancashire 416 1.81x
Middlesex 172 0.89x
Westmorland 128 30.09x
Surrey 103 1.09x
Bedfordshire 95 9.48x
Cumberland 70 4.20x
Durham 70 1.22x
Norfolk 52 1.75x
Kent 37 0.56x
Buckinghamshire 27 2.31x
Northumberland 27 0.94x
Suffolk 26 1.10x
Northamptonshire 18 0.99x
Derbyshire 16 0.53x
Sussex 14 0.43x
Cheshire 12 0.28x
Glamorgan 12 0.36x
Lincolnshire 12 0.39x
Staffordshire 11 0.17x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.38x
Devon 9 0.22x
Hertfordshire 8 0.60x
Berkshire 6 0.41x
Essex 5 0.13x
Dorset 4 0.31x
Lanarkshire 4 0.06x
Hampshire 3 0.08x
Oxfordshire 3 0.25x
Leicestershire 2 0.09x
Somerset 2 0.06x
Warwickshire 2 0.04x
Wiltshire 2 0.12x
Worcestershire 2 0.08x
Anglesey 1 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.08x
Channel Islands 1 0.17x
Denbighshire 1 0.14x
Gloucestershire 1 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.13x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.36x
Merionethshire 1 0.28x
Perthshire 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 0.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pudsey in Yorkshire leads with 102 Farrers recorded in 1881 and an index of 99.50x.

Place Total Index
Pudsey 102 99.50x
Habergham Eaves 59 28.11x
Leeds 47 4.34x
Burnley 39 20.17x
Islington London 30 1.60x
Bradford 26 5.60x
Camberwell 23 1.86x
St Marylebone London 23 2.23x
Methley 22 81.48x
Hunslet 20 6.69x
St George Hanover Square 20 5.87x
Whitehaven 20 22.52x
Bishopwearmouth 19 3.84x
Bramley In Bramley 19 25.88x
West Derby 19 2.83x
Lambeth 17 1.01x
Olney 17 105.07x
Southwark St George Martyr 17 4.37x
Accrington 16 7.66x
Kippax 16 94.84x
Oldham 16 2.16x
Deptford St Paul 15 2.95x
Holy Trinity 15 3.25x
Kendal 15 19.27x
Moss Side 15 12.41x
Preston 15 2.44x
St Pancras London 15 0.96x
Blackburn 13 2.13x
Hampstead London 13 4.31x
Heeley 13 22.31x
Sleagill 13 1397.85x
Upper Allithwaite E 12 322.58x
Bedford St Mary 11 42.62x
Headingley Cum Burley 11 8.91x
Manningham 11 4.66x
Pontefract 11 26.63x
Preston Quarter 11 23.56x
Sedburgh 11 137.67x
Westminster St Margaret 11 11.78x
Cheetham 10 5.84x
Edworth 10 1351.35x
Hipperholme Cum 10 11.87x
Manchester 10 0.97x
Newington 10 1.40x
Ovenden 10 11.72x
Withington 10 13.52x
Bow London 9 3.65x
Brighton 9 1.37x
Chelsea London 9 1.54x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 9 3.61x
Helsington 9 389.61x
Holwell 9 633.80x
Horton In Bradford 9 3.01x
Kempston 9 39.56x
Skircoat 9 11.90x
Thornham 9 207.85x
Thurleigh 9 225.56x
Tottington Lower End 9 8.25x
Walton 9 343.51x
Whinburgh 9 600.00x
Allerton Bywater 8 77.07x
Batley 8 4.39x
Bolsover 8 52.67x
Cardiff St Mary 8 4.31x
Clifford Cum Boston 8 46.40x
Hackney London 8 0.74x
Liverpool 8 0.57x
Lowestoft 8 7.18x
Newark Upon Trent 8 8.53x
Penrith 8 13.00x
Poulton Barre 8 30.62x
Shalford 8 76.63x
Sharnbrook 8 144.40x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 8 29.21x
Stillington 8 201.51x
Thornton In Bradford 8 12.53x
Thrapston 8 87.43x
Tottenham 8 2.60x
Wortley In Bramley 8 5.27x
Howden 7 53.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 146
Sarah 89
Elizabeth 80
Ann 53
Jane 37
Margaret 32
Annie 30
Ellen 27
Emma 26
Eliza 24
Alice 22
Edith 22
Martha 21
Hannah 18
Harriet 18
Emily 17
Isabella 15
Agnes 13
Frances 13
Ada 12
Catherine 10
Ruth 9
Clara 8
Lucy 8
Charlotte 7
Kate 7
Maria 7
Rebecca 7
Susannah 7
Florence 6
Louisa 6
Maud 6
Beatrice 5
Minnie 5
Rose 5
Amelia 4
Amy 4
Anna 4
Anne 4
Caroline 4
Elizth. 4
Esther 4
Fanny 4
Gertrude 4
Lilly 4
Rachel 4
Selina 4
Betsy 3
Phoebe 3
Priscilla 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 118
William 113
Thomas 70
James 60
George 48
Joseph 41
Henry 30
Charles 28
Arthur 24
Frederick 21
Samuel 21
Edward 20
Robert 20
Richard 19
Alfred 17
Walter 16
Albert 9
Fred 9
Herbert 9
Wm. 9
David 8
Benjamin 6
Ernest 6
Frank 6
Harry 6
Roger 5
Stephen 5
Tom 5
Edmund 4
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Fredk. 4
Harrison 4
Jacob 4
Joshua 4
Leonard 4
Percy 4
Reginald 4
Robt. 4
Saml. 4
Thos. 4
Alexander 3
Frederic 3
Matthew 3
Oliver 3
Richd. 3
Roland 3
Sam 3
Nathan 2
Percival 2

FAQ

Farrer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Farrer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,984 people were recorded with the Farrer surname. That placed it at #2,213 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Farrer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,825 in 2016. That gives Farrer a modern rank of #3,473.

What does the Farrer surname mean?

An occupational surname for a worker who shoes horses, a blacksmith specializing in farriery.

What does the Farrer map show?

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