NameCensus.

UK surname

Farthing

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived on a farthing-worth of land, or near a fourth-part division.

In the 1881 census there were 1,575 people recorded with the Farthing surname, ranking it #2,687 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,825, ranked #3,473, down from #2,687 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Silton, Gillingham (Bourton ) and Mersea, West. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Colchester, Babergh and Ipswich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Farthing is 1,990 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.9%.

1881 census count

1,575

Ranked #2,687

Modern count

1,825

2016, ranked #3,473

Peak year

1911

1,990 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Farthing had 1,575 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,687 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 1,990 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Farthing surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Farthing surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Farthing 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 1,035 #2,707
1861 historical 1,003 #2,782
1881 historical 1,575 #2,687
1891 historical 1,681 #2,680
1901 historical 1,928 #2,738
1911 historical 1,990 #2,495
1997 modern 1,840 #3,272
1998 modern 1,892 #3,303
1999 modern 1,917 #3,295
2000 modern 1,898 #3,305
2001 modern 1,859 #3,303
2002 modern 1,873 #3,344
2003 modern 1,810 #3,378
2004 modern 1,796 #3,401
2005 modern 1,753 #3,447
2006 modern 1,748 #3,463
2007 modern 1,771 #3,458
2008 modern 1,777 #3,471
2009 modern 1,841 #3,449
2010 modern 1,858 #3,481
2011 modern 1,866 #3,428
2012 modern 1,852 #3,405
2013 modern 1,872 #3,415
2014 modern 1,881 #3,428
2015 modern 1,845 #3,457
2016 modern 1,825 #3,473

Geography

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Where Farthings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Silton, Gillingham (Bourton ), Mersea, West, Barking and Lindsey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Colchester, Babergh, Ipswich and Swansea. 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 Silton, Gillingham (Bourton ) Wiltshire
3 Mersea, West Essex
4 Barking Suffolk
5 Lindsey Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Colchester 003 Colchester
2 Babergh 004 Babergh
3 Ipswich 010 Ipswich
4 Colchester 021 Colchester
5 Swansea 002 Swansea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Farthing

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Farthing

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

Farthing 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

Farthing falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Farthing

The surname Farthing has its origins in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word 'feorthing' or 'ferdung', which referred to a quarter of a penny, a small amount of money in medieval times. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who dealt with small sums of money, perhaps a tax collector or a moneylender.

The Farthing name is found in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert Ferthyng residing in Oxfordshire. The Domesday Book of 1086 also mentions a place called 'Farthinghoe' in Northamptonshire, which may have been the original home of some early bearers of the name.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Farthing was William Farthing, a merchant who lived in London in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was John Farthing, a wealthy landowner from Worcestershire, who was born around 1550 and died in 1623.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various parish records, such as those of St. Bride's Church in London, where a Thomas Farthing was baptized in 1638. A variant spelling, 'Farthing', is found in the records of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham, where a John Farthing was married in 1674.

One of the most famous individuals with the Farthing surname was Benjamin Farthing, a notable English engraver and printer who lived from 1676 to 1758. His work included engravings for books and maps, and he is remembered for his contributions to the art of printmaking.

Another notable figure was John Farthing, a prominent British architect who was born in 1808 and died in 1886. He designed many notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall and the Natural History Museum.

In the 19th century, the Farthing name continued to be found across England, with records showing individuals bearing the surname in various occupations, from farmers to tradesmen. Examples include William Farthing, a farmer from Dorset who was born in 1812, and James Farthing, a carpenter from Yorkshire who was born in 1842.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Farthing families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Farthing 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. Suffolk leads with 335 Farthings recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.87x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 335 17.87x
Somerset 220 8.88x
Middlesex 154 1.00x
Essex 151 4.97x
Yorkshire 87 0.57x
Durham 79 1.73x
Surrey 78 1.04x
Devon 59 1.84x
Wiltshire 57 4.19x
Kent 53 1.01x
Dorset 39 3.86x
Northumberland 39 1.70x
Lancashire 33 0.18x
Norfolk 32 1.35x
Glamorgan 19 0.71x
Sussex 17 0.66x
Hampshire 14 0.44x
Monmouthshire 14 1.26x
Lincolnshire 12 0.49x
Derbyshire 11 0.46x
Lanarkshire 11 0.22x
Gloucestershire 9 0.30x
Brecknockshire 8 2.60x
Cambridgeshire 8 0.82x
Warwickshire 8 0.21x
Cumberland 7 0.53x
Cornwall 6 0.34x
Oxfordshire 4 0.42x
Hertfordshire 3 0.28x
Cheshire 2 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.10x
Royal Navy 2 1.09x
Channel Islands 1 0.22x
Leicestershire 1 0.06x
Renfrewshire 1 0.08x
Staffordshire 1 0.02x
Worcestershire 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. Mere in Wiltshire leads with 46 Farthings recorded in 1881 and an index of 297.54x.

Place Total Index
Mere 46 297.54x
Lindsey 28 2372.88x
Frome 27 45.56x
Kersey 26 996.17x
Hintlesham 23 766.67x
Newcastle On Tyne St 23 19.37x
West Mersea 23 395.19x
Ipswich St Margaret 22 34.58x
Islington London 22 1.47x
Barking 21 216.27x
Bourton 21 475.11x
Bermondsey 17 3.71x
North Barrow 17 2741.94x
Stockton On Tees 17 7.70x
Nacton 16 588.24x
St Marylebone London 16 1.95x
St Pancras London 16 1.29x
West Ham 16 2.39x
Ipswich St Clement 15 31.47x
Wembdon 15 204.64x
West Bagborough 15 600.00x
Whitworth 15 44.74x
Fring 14 1521.74x
Cannington 13 176.63x
Ipswich St Helen 13 58.48x
Plymouth St Andrew 13 5.27x
Shoreditch London 13 1.95x
Aberystruth 12 12.23x
Lambeth 12 0.89x
Deptford St Paul 11 2.72x
Monks Eleigh 11 360.66x
Paddington London 11 1.94x
Bocking 10 54.73x
Cardiff St John 10 11.42x
Durham St Nicholas 10 88.89x
Kensington London 10 1.17x
Kirton 10 301.20x
Little Cornard 10 492.61x
Marske In Guisbrough 10 36.91x
Mile End Old Town London 10 3.05x
Plymouth Charles The 10 7.08x
Bromley London 9 2.66x
Broughton In Salford 9 5.39x
Burnham 9 47.64x
Dovercourt 9 84.19x
Gateshead 9 2.62x
Great Cornard 9 212.26x
Mile End 9 162.16x
Nayland 9 189.47x
Nether Stowey 9 231.96x
Somersham 9 416.67x
St George Martyr London 9 28.86x
Stourton 9 308.22x
West Bergholt 9 158.73x
Westleigh 9 344.83x
Alton 8 33.64x
Ardleigh 8 94.90x
Bethnal Green London 8 1.20x
Bridgewater 8 11.89x
Ipswich St Mathew 8 15.23x
St George Hanover Square 8 2.95x
Tintinhull 8 375.59x
Towthorpe In Driffield 8 2105.26x
Wandsworth 8 5.40x
Wath On Dearne 8 26.29x
Williton 8 96.39x
Colchester St Leonard 7 71.57x
Culford 7 443.04x
Darlington 7 3.96x
Exning 7 74.00x
Great Driffield 7 22.36x
Great Horkesley 7 167.46x
Hilderthorpe 7 90.91x
Instow 7 202.31x
Ipswich St Nicholas 7 67.76x
Lakenheath 7 70.71x
Reigate Foreign 7 8.62x
Roath 7 5.75x
Scarborough 7 5.05x
Taunton St Mary 7 15.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 102
John 79
George 62
James 58
Charles 49
Thomas 42
Henry 40
Robert 29
Frederick 23
Arthur 18
Walter 17
Alfred 15
Harry 13
Joseph 12
Edward 11
Frank 10
Albert 9
Ernest 9
Joshua 6
Richard 6
David 5
Edwin 5
Francis 5
Herbert 5
Abraham 4
Benjamin 4
Isaac 4
Michael 4
Samuel 4
Sidney 4
Chas. 3
Daniel 3
Ephraim 3
Fred 3
Patrick 3
Sydney 3
Thos. 3
Willie 3
Wm. 3
Geo. 2
Infant 2
Leonard 2
Oliver 2
Percy 2
Robinson 2
Robt. 2
Tom 2
Vincent 2
Cyril 1
Frederic 1

FAQ

Farthing surname: questions and answers

How common was the Farthing surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,575 people were recorded with the Farthing surname. That placed it at #2,687 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Farthing surname today?

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

What does the Farthing surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived on a farthing-worth of land, or near a fourth-part division.

What does the Farthing map show?

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