NameCensus.

UK surname

Farron

Of Scottish origin meaning "wanderer" or "nomad".

In the 1881 census there were 220 people recorded with the Farron surname, ranking it #12,087 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 174, ranked #21,466, down from #12,087 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Saviour Southwark, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee, Monmouthshire and South Ribble.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Farron is 341 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.9%.

1881 census count

220

Ranked #12,087

Modern count

174

2016, ranked #21,466

Peak year

1891

341 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Farron had 220 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,087 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016, ranked #21,466.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 341 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Farron surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Farron surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Farron 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 193 #10,704
1861 historical 308 #8,233
1881 historical 220 #12,087
1891 historical 341 #10,041
1901 historical 285 #12,063
1911 historical 141 #18,571
1997 modern 157 #20,513
1998 modern 163 #20,582
1999 modern 162 #20,781
2000 modern 162 #20,735
2001 modern 159 #20,710
2002 modern 170 #20,243
2003 modern 161 #20,697
2004 modern 161 #20,840
2005 modern 163 #20,627
2006 modern 169 #20,294
2007 modern 175 #20,090
2008 modern 178 #20,094
2009 modern 178 #20,486
2010 modern 174 #21,259
2011 modern 172 #21,248
2012 modern 165 #21,782
2013 modern 167 #21,984
2014 modern 173 #21,639
2015 modern 170 #21,800
2016 modern 174 #21,466

Geography

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Where Farrons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Saviour Southwark, Manchester, Liverpool, Preston and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee, Monmouthshire, South Ribble, Cheshire East and Kirklees. 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 St Saviour Southwark London (South Districts)
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blair Atholl, Strathardle and Glenshee Perth and Kinross
2 Monmouthshire 007 Monmouthshire
3 South Ribble 010 South Ribble
4 Cheshire East 026 Cheshire East
5 Kirklees 048 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Farron

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Farron

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Farron surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Farron 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Farron is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Farron is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Farron 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 Farron 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 Farron, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Farron

The surname Farron is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "feor" meaning "far" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a distant or far-off settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Ferentone." This entry relates to a place called Farndon in Nottinghamshire, which likely took its name from the same root words as the surname Farron.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "Faryngdon" and "Ferendun" in records from Berkshire and Oxfordshire. These variations highlight the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common before standardized spelling became more widespread.

One notable individual with the surname Farron was Sir John Farron, a 14th-century English nobleman and landowner. He was born in Gloucestershire in 1325 and served as a knight in the wars against Scotland and France during the reign of Edward III.

Another historical figure was Robert Farron, a 16th-century English clergyman and scholar. He was born in Yorkshire in 1510 and served as the Bishop of St. David's in Wales from 1567 until his death in 1585.

In the 17th century, the name appears in parish records from various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Oxfordshire. One individual of note was William Farron, a merchant and ship owner from Hull, who was born in 1625 and became a prominent figure in the city's maritime trade.

The 18th century saw the name spread to other parts of the British Isles, with records showing individuals named Farron in Scotland and Ireland. One such person was James Farron, a Scottish sailor and explorer who was born in Aberdeenshire in 1745 and is believed to have accompanied Captain James Cook on his voyages to the Pacific.

In the 19th century, the surname Farron continued to be found across various regions of England, with notable individuals including Henry Farron, a 19th-century author and poet from Derbyshire, who was born in 1810 and published several volumes of poetry and literary works during his lifetime.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Farron families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Farron 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 93 Farrons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.64x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 93 3.64x
Surrey 23 2.19x
Yorkshire 16 0.75x
Cheshire 10 2.10x
Essex 8 1.88x
Hertfordshire 7 4.71x
Lanarkshire 7 1.00x
Kent 6 0.82x
Durham 5 0.78x
Middlesex 5 0.23x
Staffordshire 5 0.69x
Buckinghamshire 4 3.07x
Leicestershire 4 1.67x
Lincolnshire 4 1.16x
Northumberland 4 1.25x
Nottinghamshire 4 1.38x
Somerset 3 0.86x
Sussex 3 0.83x
Cumberland 2 1.08x
Hampshire 2 0.45x
Channel Islands 1 1.57x
Gloucestershire 1 0.24x
Norfolk 1 0.30x
Renfrewshire 1 0.60x
Warwickshire 1 0.18x
Wiltshire 1 0.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 22 Farrons recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.32x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 22 32.32x
Ashton Under Lyne 18 32.19x
Liverpool 13 8.37x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 20.75x
Accrington 8 34.39x
Bermondsey 8 12.46x
Dukinfield 8 36.38x
Woodford 8 165.98x
Cadder 7 135.92x
Saddleworth 6 36.41x
Walmersley Cum 6 146.70x
Clapham 5 18.55x
Failsworth 5 85.47x
Handsworth 5 27.89x
Preston 5 7.31x
Walton Le Dale 5 72.78x
Ardsley 4 162.60x
Edenbridge 4 277.78x
Elswick 4 15.63x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 31.95x
Nottingham St Mary 4 5.32x
Olney 4 222.22x
Quadring 4 606.06x
Watford 4 34.72x
Bengeo 3 174.42x
Hove 3 18.81x
Leicester St Margaret 3 5.15x
Puriton 3 535.71x
Whitechapel London 3 14.12x
Moston 2 77.82x
Worsthorne Cum 2 246.91x
Aldershot 1 6.76x
Battersea 1 1.26x
Chatham 1 4.94x
Cheltenham 1 3.07x
Crumpsall 1 16.58x
Dalton In Furness 1 10.13x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.76x
Drigg Carleton 1 238.10x
Fulwood 1 36.23x
Great Harwood 1 21.65x
Highworth 1 40.98x
Holy Trinity 1 1.95x
Hulme 1 1.87x
Kensington London 1 0.83x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 58.48x
Kirby Misperton 1 500.00x
Leeds 1 0.83x
Melton Mowbray 1 23.26x
Middle Greenock 1 21.93x
Monkwearmouth 1 16.29x
Rugby 1 13.61x
Scarborough 1 5.15x
Skelton In Guisbrough 1 17.30x
Southampton St Mary 1 3.60x
St Marylebone London 1 0.87x
St Peter Port 1 8.46x
Stockport 1 4.08x
Titchwell 1 1111.11x
Toxteth Park 1 1.15x
Waberthwaite 1 714.29x
Werneth 1 67.11x
West Derby 1 1.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 11
Ann 9
Eliza 6
Ellen 6
Alice 5
Jane 4
Margaret 3
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Jessie 1
Lizzie 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Miriam 1
Pauline 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1
Rosine 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 16
John 16
William 14
Edward 4
Richard 4
Albert 3
George 3
Joseph 3
Thomas 3
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Ben 1
Bernard 1
Charles 1
David 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
F. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Hugh 1
Jacob 1
Jas. 1
Louis 1
Patrick 1
Samuel 1
Squire 1
Sydney 1
Timothy 1
Wm. 1
Wm.E. 1

FAQ

Farron surname: questions and answers

How common was the Farron surname in 1881?

In 1881, 220 people were recorded with the Farron surname. That placed it at #12,087 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Farron surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016. That gives Farron a modern rank of #21,466.

What does the Farron surname mean?

Of Scottish origin meaning "wanderer" or "nomad".

What does the Farron map show?

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