NameCensus.

UK surname

Farrington

Derived from a place name meaning "fern-covered hill" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near such a hill.

In the 1881 census there were 2,567 people recorded with the Farrington surname, ranking it #1,740 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,027, ranked #1,686, up from #1,740 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, South Staffordshire and West Lancashire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Farrington is 4,289 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.9%.

1881 census count

2,567

Ranked #1,740

Modern count

4,027

2016, ranked #1,686

Peak year

1999

4,289 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Farrington had 2,567 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,740 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,027 in 2016, ranked #1,686.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,680 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Farrington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Farrington surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Farrington 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 1,344 #2,144
1861 historical 1,463 #1,941
1881 historical 2,567 #1,740
1891 historical 2,691 #1,766
1901 historical 3,393 #1,640
1911 historical 3,680 #1,418
1997 modern 4,030 #1,607
1998 modern 4,246 #1,580
1999 modern 4,289 #1,580
2000 modern 4,244 #1,583
2001 modern 4,205 #1,560
2002 modern 4,277 #1,570
2003 modern 4,207 #1,567
2004 modern 4,168 #1,581
2005 modern 4,072 #1,597
2006 modern 4,053 #1,602
2007 modern 4,087 #1,605
2008 modern 4,094 #1,615
2009 modern 4,140 #1,639
2010 modern 4,202 #1,650
2011 modern 4,134 #1,653
2012 modern 4,031 #1,666
2013 modern 4,097 #1,672
2014 modern 4,097 #1,683
2015 modern 4,055 #1,684
2016 modern 4,027 #1,686

Geography

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Where Farringtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Preston, Leigh and Warrington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, South Staffordshire, West Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen. 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 3
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 Warrington Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 025 Cheshire East
2 Cheshire East 048 Cheshire East
3 South Staffordshire 007 South Staffordshire
4 West Lancashire 001 West Lancashire
5 Blackburn with Darwen 008 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Farrington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Farrington

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Farrington is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Farrington is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Farrington 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 Farrington 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Farrington

The surname Farrington is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "fearn" meaning fern and "tun" meaning a farm or estate. It likely originated in the 12th or 13th century as a locational name for someone who lived near a fern-covered area or farm.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Farrington can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1199, where a Robert de Ferentone is mentioned. This spelling variation suggests the name may have originated from the village of Farndon, located in Cheshire.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Ferynton and Farendon, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a John de Ferinton from Buckinghamshire.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants compiled in 1086, does not include the surname Farrington. However, it does mention several places with similar names, such as Ferendone in Bedfordshire and Ferndun in Northamptonshire, which may have been the origins of later Farrington families.

One notable historical figure with the surname Farrington was Sir Henry Farrington (1614-1671), a prominent English judge and politician during the English Civil War. He served as a Baron of the Exchequer and was a Member of Parliament for Chichester.

Another significant individual was John Farrington (1609-1658), an English clergyman and academic who served as the President of the Queen's College, Oxford, from 1653 until his death.

In the literary world, Benjamin Farrington (1891-1974) was a British historian and philosopher known for his works on Greek science and philosophy, including his influential book "Greek Science: Its Meaning for Us."

In the military realm, Sir Anthony Farrington (1548-1630) was an English soldier and Member of Parliament who served as the Governor of the Isle of Man from 1600 to 1629.

Lastly, Edward Farrington (1633-1685) was an English minister and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Immateriality of the Soul" and "Remarks on Mr. Sherlock's Book, Entituled, A Discourse Concerning the Knowledge of Jesus Christ."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Farrington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Farrington 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 990 Farringtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.32x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 990 3.32x
Cheshire 248 4.48x
Staffordshire 248 2.93x
Middlesex 189 0.75x
Yorkshire 155 0.62x
Surrey 125 1.02x
Cambridgeshire 96 6.04x
Worcestershire 55 1.68x
Shropshire 46 2.12x
Suffolk 40 1.31x
Kent 39 0.46x
Warwickshire 34 0.54x
Durham 30 0.40x
Essex 29 0.59x
Norfolk 28 0.73x
Monmouthshire 24 1.32x
Cumberland 17 0.79x
Hampshire 17 0.33x
Devon 14 0.27x
Hertfordshire 14 0.81x
Northamptonshire 13 0.55x
Lincolnshire 11 0.27x
Herefordshire 10 0.97x
Sussex 10 0.24x
Isle of Man 9 1.93x
Northumberland 9 0.24x
Angus 8 0.34x
Buckinghamshire 8 0.53x
Denbighshire 8 0.84x
Huntingdonshire 7 1.40x
Bedfordshire 6 0.46x
Cornwall 6 0.21x
Lanarkshire 6 0.07x
Oxfordshire 5 0.32x
Gloucestershire 4 0.08x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.09x
Derbyshire 2 0.05x
Leicestershire 2 0.07x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.35x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.06x
Roxburghshire 2 0.44x
Flintshire 1 0.15x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Wiltshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Little Bolton in Lancashire leads with 52 Farringtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.58x.

Place Total Index
Little Bolton 52 13.58x
Newton 52 22.65x
Manchester 39 2.91x
Salford 38 4.34x
Walsall Foreign 38 8.68x
Preston 36 4.52x
Warrington 36 10.20x
Bedford 32 51.36x
Chorley 31 18.55x
Lambeth 31 1.42x
Stoke Upon Trent 31 3.45x
St Andrewthe Less 30 16.52x
Stockport 29 10.17x
Lathom 27 75.08x
Newington 27 2.91x
Horwich 26 80.05x
Scarisbrick 25 72.32x
Toxteth Park 24 2.38x
Headingley Cum Burley 23 14.37x
Wolverhampton 23 3.53x
Oldham 22 2.29x
Islington London 21 0.86x
Whitby 21 164.32x
Aston 20 1.15x
Atherton 20 18.45x
Castleton 19 6.39x
Croston 19 123.46x
Haslingfield 19 293.21x
Liverpool 19 1.05x
Pendleton In Salford 19 5.35x
Reigate Borough 19 67.35x
Tarleton 19 116.00x
Bickerstaffe 18 92.36x
Caldecote 18 1782.18x
Coppull 18 113.42x
Great Bolton 18 4.56x
Burslem 17 7.00x
Ealing 17 7.58x
North Meols 17 5.83x
Norton In Moors 17 37.90x
Westleigh 17 25.14x
Worcester St Peter 17 27.40x
Everton 16 1.69x
Crewe In Nantwich 15 413.22x
Openshaw 15 10.75x
St Luke London 15 3.73x
Birmingham 14 0.66x
Norwich St Edmund 14 224.36x
Shoreditch London 14 1.29x
Wigan 14 3.36x
Audley 13 15.51x
Haslington 13 83.39x
Pennington In Leigh 13 22.75x
St Marylebone London 13 0.97x
Stayley 13 20.53x
Aberystruth 12 7.50x
Burton Upon Trent 12 6.05x
Cheadle 12 11.34x
Edmonton 12 5.93x
Hackney London 12 0.85x
Oldbury 12 7.44x
Reigate Foreign 12 9.06x
Sawston 12 78.23x
Wenhaston 12 159.15x
Ardwick 11 4.09x
Halesworth 11 50.74x
Harpurhey 11 26.62x
Kearsley 11 17.55x
Macclesfield 11 4.47x
Tipton 11 4.24x
Willaston In Nantwich 11 64.33x
Dukinfield 10 3.91x
Horton In Bradford 10 2.57x
Kensington London 10 0.72x
Ormskirk 10 17.55x
Radcliffe 10 6.97x
Shelley 10 68.73x
West Derby 10 1.15x
Willenhall 10 6.30x
Trevethin 9 5.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 177
Elizabeth 106
Sarah 88
Ellen 64
Ann 60
Alice 52
Jane 49
Margaret 45
Emma 40
Annie 35
Hannah 34
Eliza 31
Martha 29
Emily 22
Ada 18
Maria 15
Anne 14
Catherine 14
Louisa 13
Edith 11
Florence 11
Harriet 11
Agnes 10
Isabella 10
Rebecca 10
Charlotte 9
Fanny 9
Lucy 8
Matilda 8
Susannah 8
Amelia 7
Eleanor 7
Elizth. 7
Frances 7
Harriett 7
Esther 6
Gertrude 6
Lydia 6
Minnie 6
Sophia 6
Kate 5
Maud 5
Rose 5
Ruth 5
Amy 4
Anna 4
Bertha 4
Bridget 4
Caroline 4
Julia 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 169
William 139
Thomas 121
James 99
George 66
Henry 63
Robert 56
Richard 49
Charles 36
Joseph 36
Edward 34
Albert 15
Frederick 15
Herbert 15
Frank 14
Arthur 13
Samuel 12
Ernest 11
Harry 11
Alfred 10
Daniel 9
Roger 9
Walter 9
Wm. 9
Edwin 8
Francis 8
Isaac 7
David 6
Patrick 6
Simeon 6
Stephen 6
Thos. 6
Andrew 5
Fredrick 5
Jno. 5
Michael 5
Jeremiah 4
Lawrence 4
Benjamin 3
Edmund 3
Hugh 3
Owen 3
Peter 3
Ralph 3
Richd. 3
Sidney 3
Sydney 3
Christopher 2
Louis 2
Mark 2

FAQ

Farrington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Farrington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,567 people were recorded with the Farrington surname. That placed it at #1,740 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Farrington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,027 in 2016. That gives Farrington a modern rank of #1,686.

What does the Farrington surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "fern-covered hill" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near such a hill.

What does the Farrington map show?

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