NameCensus.

UK surname

Faux

A French surname meaning "false" or "fake".

In the 1881 census there were 439 people recorded with the Faux surname, ranking it #7,455 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 671, ranked #7,978, down from #7,455 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Chigwell and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Conwy, Dudley and Lichfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Faux is 705 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.8%.

1881 census count

439

Ranked #7,455

Modern count

671

2016, ranked #7,978

Peak year

1999

705 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Faux had 439 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,455 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 671 in 2016, ranked #7,978.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 578 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Faux surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Faux surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Faux 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 278 #8,089
1861 historical 194 #12,310
1881 historical 439 #7,455
1891 historical 435 #8,279
1901 historical 576 #7,293
1911 historical 578 #7,032
1997 modern 677 #7,438
1998 modern 681 #7,638
1999 modern 705 #7,474
2000 modern 686 #7,606
2001 modern 671 #7,607
2002 modern 660 #7,857
2003 modern 656 #7,787
2004 modern 663 #7,722
2005 modern 652 #7,751
2006 modern 648 #7,819
2007 modern 650 #7,870
2008 modern 648 #7,930
2009 modern 660 #7,978
2010 modern 693 #7,842
2011 modern 679 #7,873
2012 modern 657 #8,004
2013 modern 680 #7,917
2014 modern 692 #7,850
2015 modern 685 #7,854
2016 modern 671 #7,978

Geography

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Where Faux' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Chigwell, London parishes, Manchester and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Conwy, Dudley, Lichfield, South Bucks and East Devon. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Chigwell Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Conwy 009 Conwy
2 Dudley 035 Dudley
3 Lichfield 008 Lichfield
4 South Bucks 002 South Bucks
5 East Devon 010 East Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Faux

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Faux

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Faux is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Faux is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Faux

The surname "FAUX" has its origins in medieval France, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "faus," meaning "false" or "deceptive." This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone perceived as dishonest or untrustworthy.

One of the earliest written records of the name "FAUX" can be found in the famous Domesday Book, a manuscript compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears in the listings for the county of Normandy, indicating that bearers of this surname were present in the region during the Norman conquest of England.

In the 13th century, a notable individual named Raoul Faux was recorded as a merchant and landowner in the village of Sancerre, located in the Loire Valley region of central France. Records indicate that he was involved in the local wine trade and acquired significant wealth and property during his lifetime.

During the 14th century, the name "FAUX" began to spread beyond France, with documented instances in neighboring regions such as the Low Countries and the Holy Roman Empire. One notable bearer of the name from this period was Jean Faux, a French soldier who fought alongside Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years' War.

In the 16th century, the surname "FAUX" gained prominence in England, likely introduced by French immigrants or through trade and cultural exchange. A notable figure was Sir Thomas Faux, a wealthy merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1572.

As the centuries progressed, the "FAUX" name continued to spread across Europe and beyond. In the 18th century, a French artist named Jacques-Louis Faux gained recognition for his intricate tapestry designs, which adorned the palaces of European nobility.

Another noteworthy individual was Pierre-Joseph Faux, a French explorer and naturalist who accompanied Captain James Cook on his third voyage to the Pacific in the late 18th century. Faux's detailed accounts and illustrations of the flora and fauna encountered during the expedition contributed significantly to the field of natural history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Faux families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Faux 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. Middlesex leads with 72 Faux' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.69x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 72 1.69x
Staffordshire 50 3.47x
Essex 43 5.11x
Yorkshire 38 0.90x
Warwickshire 37 3.44x
Somerset 29 4.23x
Surrey 28 1.35x
Lancashire 25 0.49x
Leicestershire 23 4.87x
Norfolk 22 3.36x
Cambridgeshire 15 5.56x
Northamptonshire 14 3.49x
Gloucestershire 10 1.20x
Worcestershire 7 1.26x
Bedfordshire 3 1.36x
Derbyshire 3 0.45x
Devon 3 0.34x
Durham 3 0.24x
Suffolk 3 0.58x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.78x
Hampshire 2 0.23x
Lincolnshire 2 0.29x
Kent 1 0.07x
Lanarkshire 1 0.07x
Royal Navy 1 1.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 28 Faux' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.81x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 28 7.81x
Chigwell 28 352.64x
Handsworth 25 70.48x
Chew Magna 16 666.67x
Lambeth 14 3.77x
Hackney London 12 5.02x
Potterspury 12 745.34x
Bilston 11 39.44x
Harborne 11 23.85x
Hellesdon 9 750.00x
Market Bosworth 9 526.32x
Poplar London 9 11.19x
Ardwick 8 17.53x
Clifton 8 18.93x
Newbold Verdon 8 733.95x
West Ham 8 4.31x
Kingston On Thames 7 14.03x
Limehouse London 7 14.96x
Sandal Magna 7 112.00x
St George In East London 7 17.46x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 7.47x
East Dereham 6 72.46x
Hunslet 6 9.11x
Oldbury 6 21.91x
Aston 5 1.69x
Bedminster 5 7.75x
Fewston 5 1063.83x
Hulme 5 4.73x
Islington London 5 1.21x
Mepal 5 909.09x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 5 25.48x
Chatteris 4 58.06x
Clerkenwell London 4 3.98x
Mile End Old Town London 4 4.41x
Newington 4 2.54x
Norton Malreward 4 1904.76x
Rochford 4 163.27x
Salford 4 2.69x
St Sepulchre London 4 64.10x
Bedford St Peter 3 52.36x
Bishopwearmouth 3 2.76x
Bradfield 3 18.43x
Chiswick 3 12.88x
Ixworth 3 204.08x
Keynsham 3 60.85x
Merevale 3 1071.43x
Stanton Under Bardon 3 789.47x
Sutton 3 133.93x
Thornton In Bradford 3 21.34x
Tottenham 3 4.42x
Walsall Foreign 3 4.04x
Warmfield Cum Heath 3 209.79x
Bow London 2 3.69x
Bradwell 2 55.10x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 7.17x
Chilcote 2 1428.57x
Ecclesfield 2 6.46x
Hammersmith London 2 1.90x
Heigham 2 5.69x
Leatherhead 2 38.46x
Loughton 2 48.08x
Manchester 2 0.88x
Norwich St James 2 38.91x
Shoreditch London 2 1.08x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.66x
St Pancras London 2 0.58x
Sutton St Mary 2 31.01x
Tormoham 2 5.33x
Ashby De La Zouch 1 9.12x
Derby St Werburgh 1 2.59x
Devonport 1 9.80x
Haddenham 1 39.37x
Hornsey 1 1.85x
Paddington London 1 0.64x
Passenham 1 60.61x
Royal Navy 1 2.30x
Southhampton St Mary Extra 1 105.26x
St Benedict Cambridge 1 65.79x
Sutton At Hone 1 33.11x
Weston Longville 1 166.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Elizabeth 16
Sarah 14
Ann 9
Emma 8
Jane 8
Ada 7
Emily 7
Alice 6
Annie 6
Catherine 6
Eliza 6
Amy 5
Frances 5
Louisa 5
Martha 5
Florence 4
Hannah 4
Agnes 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Elizth. 3
Ellen 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
Minnie 3
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Beatrice 2
Betsy 2
Jessie 2
Maria 2
Rachel 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Angelina 1
Carlotte 1
Dinah 1
Dinana 1
Elizh. 1
Esther 1
Harriett 1
Harritt 1
Helena 1
Hilda 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Lillie 1
Lizze 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 34
John 21
George 15
Benjamin 14
Charles 12
Joseph 12
Richard 8
Thomas 8
Henry 7
Robert 7
James 6
Alfred 5
Edward 4
Samuel 4
Ernest 3
Herbert 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Emanuel 2
Francis 2
Gregory 2
J.T. 2
...reyfral 1
Aaron 1
Abraham 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
B. 1
Blackman 1
Burrel 1
Burrell 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Ebeneza 1
Edmund 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
J. 1
Job 1
Joe 1
Lionel 1
Luke 1
Michael 1
Sydney 1
Willm. 1
Willm.E. 1

FAQ

Faux surname: questions and answers

How common was the Faux surname in 1881?

In 1881, 439 people were recorded with the Faux surname. That placed it at #7,455 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Faux surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 671 in 2016. That gives Faux a modern rank of #7,978.

What does the Faux surname mean?

A French surname meaning "false" or "fake".

What does the Faux map show?

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