NameCensus.

UK surname

Fawell

A variant spelling of the English surname Farewell, derived from the medieval personal name Fare meaning "traveler."

In the 1881 census there were 132 people recorded with the Fawell surname, ranking it #16,744 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 152, ranked #23,516, down from #16,744 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Brancepeth and Easington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Bradford and Rochford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fawell is 304 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.2%.

1881 census count

132

Ranked #16,744

Modern count

152

2016, ranked #23,516

Peak year

1891

304 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fawell had 132 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,744 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016, ranked #23,516.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 304 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Fawell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fawell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fawell 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 144 #13,277
1861 historical 190 #12,520
1881 historical 132 #16,744
1891 historical 304 #11,005
1901 historical 211 #14,647
1911 historical 212 #14,423
1997 modern 153 #20,868
1998 modern 167 #20,258
1999 modern 167 #20,374
2000 modern 160 #20,903
2001 modern 163 #20,372
2002 modern 169 #20,307
2003 modern 165 #20,401
2004 modern 161 #20,840
2005 modern 152 #21,572
2006 modern 152 #21,721
2007 modern 150 #22,212
2008 modern 147 #22,720
2009 modern 152 #22,716
2010 modern 159 #22,577
2011 modern 159 #22,382
2012 modern 150 #23,264
2013 modern 164 #22,236
2014 modern 160 #22,824
2015 modern 153 #23,413
2016 modern 152 #23,516

Geography

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Where Fawells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Brancepeth, Easington, Bradford and Keighley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Bradford and Rochford. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Brancepeth Durham
3 Easington Durham
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 003 Leeds
2 Leeds 010 Leeds
3 Leeds 009 Leeds
4 Bradford 006 Bradford
5 Rochford 004 Rochford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fawell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fawell

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Fawell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Fawell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Fawell 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

Fawell is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fawell falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Fawell

The surname Fawell is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "fag" meaning "variegated" or "multi-colored" and "well" meaning a spring or stream of water. It likely originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a stream or body of water with a distinct hue or color.

The earliest recorded instances of the Fawell surname date back to the late 13th century in Derbyshire, England. In 1296, a John de Faywell was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire, suggesting the name was present in northern England during this time period.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including Faywell, Faghwell, and Faghewell, reflecting the evolution of spelling and pronunciation over time. The Fawell spelling became more standardized by the 16th century.

The Fawell name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. Sir Thomas Fawell (1548-1621) was an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Derbyshire in the late 16th century.

Another prominent figure was Robert Fawell (1682-1758), a British merchant and politician who served as Mayor of Liverpool in the mid-18th century.

During the English Civil War, a Captain John Fawell (1615-1678) fought for the Parliamentarian forces and played a role in the siege of Dudley Castle in 1644.

In the realm of literature, the name Fawell appears in the works of renowned English author Daniel Defoe, who mentioned a character named Fawell in his novel "The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders" published in 1722.

The Fawell surname also has connections to various place names in England, such as Fawell Brook in Derbyshire and Fawell Hill in Staffordshire, further reinforcing its geographic origins and ties to the landscape.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fawell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fawell 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. Durham leads with 51 Fawells recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.21x.

County Total Index
Durham 51 13.21x
Yorkshire 47 3.66x
Lancashire 11 0.71x
Middlesex 9 0.69x
Oxfordshire 4 4.99x
Buckinghamshire 3 3.82x
Westmorland 3 10.52x
Staffordshire 2 0.46x
Essex 1 0.39x
Northumberland 1 0.52x
Royal Navy 1 6.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Haswell in Durham leads with 11 Fawells recorded in 1881 and an index of 397.11x.

Place Total Index
Haswell 11 397.11x
Little Bolton 11 55.58x
Arrathorne 7 23333.33x
Ebchester 7 1166.67x
York St Maurice 7 289.26x
Stockton On Tees 6 32.24x
Crook Billy Row 5 101.21x
Helmington Row 5 277.78x
Norton 5 352.11x
Ripon 5 167.79x
Aston Rowant 4 1379.31x
Bethnal Green London 4 7.10x
Brandon Byshottles 4 82.64x
Heckmondwike 4 96.62x
Huddersfield 4 21.36x
Kiplin 4 10000.00x
Clerkenwell London 3 9.80x
Manningham 3 18.94x
Medmenham 3 2000.00x
Pudsey 3 43.67x
Shap 3 476.19x
Barden In Leyburn 2 5000.00x
Crossgate 2 118.34x
Keighley 2 14.60x
Seaham 2 141.84x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 4.31x
Wilsden 2 151.52x
Darlington 1 6.71x
East Hauxwell 1 2500.00x
Ellingham 1 1000.00x
Elvet 1 35.84x
Finchley 1 20.12x
Framwellgate 1 43.67x
Holgate 1 400.00x
Hunton 1 555.56x
Leeds 1 1.38x
Royal Navy 1 7.56x
Sadberge 1 588.24x
St George Bloomsbury 1 13.44x
Waltham Holy Cross 1 41.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 6
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Margaret 3
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Jane 2
Amelia 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Lena 1
Marg. 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
May 1
Phyllis 1
Rachel 1
Rose 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Joseph 9
Nathan 8
William 8
John 7
George 6
Thomas 4
Edmund 2
Edward 2
Henry 2
Leonard 2
Mathew 2
Michael 2
Richard 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Abraham 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Ernest 1
Henery 1
Isaac 1
James 1
Mark 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Fawell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fawell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 132 people were recorded with the Fawell surname. That placed it at #16,744 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fawell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016. That gives Fawell a modern rank of #23,516.

What does the Fawell surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Farewell, derived from the medieval personal name Fare meaning "traveler."

What does the Fawell map show?

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