NameCensus.

UK surname

Farwell

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a spring or well that was far away.

In the 1881 census there were 271 people recorded with the Farwell surname, ranking it #10,449 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 343, ranked #13,368, down from #10,449 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chideock, Poole St James and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sevenoaks, Purbeck and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Farwell is 439 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.6%.

1881 census count

271

Ranked #10,449

Modern count

343

2016, ranked #13,368

Peak year

1911

439 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Farwell had 271 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,449 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 343 in 2016, ranked #13,368.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 439 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Farwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Farwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Farwell 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 180 #11,300
1861 historical 328 #7,771
1881 historical 271 #10,449
1891 historical 401 #8,860
1901 historical 388 #9,685
1911 historical 439 #8,671
1997 modern 345 #12,291
1998 modern 366 #12,148
1999 modern 379 #11,922
2000 modern 363 #12,237
2001 modern 364 #12,033
2002 modern 365 #12,246
2003 modern 354 #12,319
2004 modern 347 #12,516
2005 modern 327 #13,011
2006 modern 333 #12,941
2007 modern 340 #12,872
2008 modern 337 #13,068
2009 modern 336 #13,345
2010 modern 352 #13,187
2011 modern 349 #13,108
2012 modern 344 #13,121
2013 modern 352 #13,130
2014 modern 348 #13,320
2015 modern 342 #13,396
2016 modern 343 #13,368

Geography

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Where Farwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chideock, Poole St James, London parishes, Corfe Castle and Melcombe Regis. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sevenoaks, Purbeck, Dudley, Christchurch and West Dorset. 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 Chideock Dorset
2 Poole St James Dorset
3 London parishes London 3
4 Corfe Castle Dorset
5 Melcombe Regis Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sevenoaks 009 Sevenoaks
2 Purbeck 003 Purbeck
3 Dudley 035 Dudley
4 Christchurch 001 Christchurch
5 West Dorset 012 West Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Farwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Farwell

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

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Farwell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Farwell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Farwell is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Farwell is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Farwell

The surname Farwell traces its origins to medieval England, with the earliest known use dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from a place name referring to a remote or distant valley. The name is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "feor" meaning far, and "well" referring to a stream or spring.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Farwell can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, where it is spelled as "Ferwell." This document was a survey of landholdings in England, providing valuable insights into the distribution of surnames during that period.

The Farwell surname has also been linked to the village of Farewell in Staffordshire, which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Ferewell." This ancient record suggests that the name may have been derived from this specific place name, though the exact origins remain uncertain.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various records with spellings such as "Ferewell," "Ferewall," and "Farewall." One notable bearer of the name was John Farwell, a merchant from London, who was mentioned in the city's records in 1388.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Farwell surname can be found scattered across various parts of England, with concentrations in counties like Hertfordshire, Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire. Notable individuals from this period include William Farwell, a landowner from Gloucestershire who was born in 1542, and Robert Farwell, a merchant from London who lived from 1598 to 1678.

As the centuries progressed, the Farwell surname continued to spread across the British Isles and beyond. In the 18th century, John Farwell, a British naval officer, gained recognition for his service during the American Revolutionary War. He was born in 1736 and died in 1808.

Another prominent figure was Samuel Farwell, an American soldier and politician who lived from 1760 to 1826. He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and later became a member of the Massachusetts State Senate.

In the 19th century, Henry Farwell, an American businessman and philanthropist, made significant contributions to the city of Chicago. He was born in 1823 and passed away in 1912.

Throughout its history, the Farwell surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, landowners, soldiers, and politicians. While its exact origins may be shrouded in uncertainty, the name continues to bear the traces of its medieval English roots and the notion of a distant or remote place.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Farwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Farwell 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. Dorset leads with 148 Farwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 84.07x.

County Total Index
Dorset 148 84.07x
Hampshire 28 5.09x
Middlesex 23 0.86x
Surrey 18 1.38x
Somerset 17 3.94x
Buteshire 5 30.77x
Cheshire 5 0.84x
Lanarkshire 5 0.58x
Worcestershire 5 1.43x
Devon 4 0.72x
Gloucestershire 4 0.76x
Royal Navy 4 12.51x
Northumberland 3 0.75x
Kent 2 0.22x
Durham 1 0.13x
Essex 1 0.19x
Lancashire 1 0.03x
Sussex 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chideock in Dorset leads with 34 Farwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 5483.87x.

Place Total Index
Chideock 34 5483.87x
Melcombe Regis 33 452.05x
Christchurch 14 117.45x
Paddington London 14 14.19x
Netherbury 11 753.42x
Alverstoke 10 50.25x
Corfe Castle 10 613.50x
Crewkerne 10 217.86x
Poole St James 9 136.16x
Bridport 8 220.99x
Church Knowle 8 1538.46x
Bathwick 7 146.44x
Loders 7 795.45x
Newington 7 7.06x
Swanage 7 322.58x
Glasgow 5 3.25x
Horley 5 228.31x
Kingarth 5 427.35x
Tranmere 5 22.98x
Worcester Blockhouse 5 260.42x
Bristol St George 4 16.44x
Royal Navy 4 14.64x
St Marylebone London 4 2.79x
Worth Matravers 4 1428.57x
Allington 3 191.08x
Broadwinsor 3 260.87x
Newcastle On Tyne St 3 14.50x
Southampton St Mary 3 8.68x
Wimborne Minster 3 105.26x
Croydon 2 2.76x
Lambeth 2 0.86x
Lewisham 2 4.10x
Lyme Regis 2 94.79x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 4.65x
Steeple 2 740.74x
Twickenham 2 17.39x
Blandford Forum 1 28.82x
Chelmsford 1 11.01x
Fremington 1 88.50x
Great Bolton 1 2.37x
Hammersmith London 1 1.51x
Holy Rood 1 90.09x
Lancing 1 80.65x
Longfleet 1 49.02x
Ockley 1 172.41x
South Brent 1 83.33x
St Botolph Aldgate London 1 18.12x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.12x
Tyneham 1 400.00x
Walkerfield 1 833.33x
Wimbledon 1 6.82x
Wyke Regis 1 39.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 14
Ann 7
Ellen 7
Eliza 5
Sarah 5
Annie 4
Caroline 4
Louisa 4
Alice 3
Emily 3
Hannah 3
Jessie 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Allice 2
Bessie 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Angelina 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Catherine 1
Constance 1
Custance 1
Edna 1
Eleanor 1
Elsie 1
Elvina 1
Eveline 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Joan 1
Katherine 1
Lavinnea 1
Lilla 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Olive 1
Phoebe 1
Rose 1
Sarh 1
Ursula 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 15
William 13
James 11
John 10
Thomas 9
Henry 8
Charles 6
Edward 6
Albert 4
Joseph 4
Richard 4
Robert 4
Alfred 3
Fredk. 3
Harry 3
Christopher 2
Frank 2
Kenneth 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Timothy 2
Arthur 1
Claude 1
Emmanuel 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredk 1
Gerald 1
Moses 1
Norman 1
Robt. 1
Tom 1
Victor 1
Walter 1
Worthyngton 1

FAQ

Farwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Farwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 271 people were recorded with the Farwell surname. That placed it at #10,449 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Farwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 343 in 2016. That gives Farwell a modern rank of #13,368.

What does the Farwell surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a spring or well that was far away.

What does the Farwell map show?

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