NameCensus.

UK surname

Fayers

In the 1881 census there were 464 people recorded with the Fayers surname, ranking it #7,157 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 593, ranked #8,799, down from #7,157 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cockfield, London parishes and Lavenham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ipswich, St Edmundsbury and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fayers is 667 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.8%.

1881 census count

464

Ranked #7,157

Modern count

593

2016, ranked #8,799

Peak year

1911

667 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fayers had 464 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,157 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 593 in 2016, ranked #8,799.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 667 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fayers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fayers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fayers 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 175 #11,542
1861 historical 249 #9,904
1881 historical 464 #7,157
1891 historical 473 #7,758
1901 historical 587 #7,189
1911 historical 667 #6,311
1997 modern 624 #7,925
1998 modern 650 #7,904
1999 modern 643 #8,034
2000 modern 630 #8,134
2001 modern 623 #8,048
2002 modern 634 #8,127
2003 modern 621 #8,112
2004 modern 619 #8,152
2005 modern 598 #8,288
2006 modern 598 #8,302
2007 modern 593 #8,433
2008 modern 598 #8,437
2009 modern 622 #8,359
2010 modern 631 #8,449
2011 modern 603 #8,660
2012 modern 575 #8,877
2013 modern 591 #8,837
2014 modern 593 #8,884
2015 modern 591 #8,828
2016 modern 593 #8,799

Geography

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Where Fayers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cockfield, London parishes, Lavenham and King's Lynn St Margaret. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ipswich, St Edmundsbury and Babergh. 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 Cockfield Suffolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 Lavenham Suffolk
4 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ipswich 002 Ipswich
2 St Edmundsbury 007 St Edmundsbury
3 Ipswich 004 Ipswich
4 St Edmundsbury 003 St Edmundsbury
5 Babergh 007 Babergh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fayers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fayers

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Fayers is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fayers 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

Fayers falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Fayers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fayers 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 205 Fayers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.10x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 205 37.10x
Norfolk 83 11.90x
Middlesex 72 1.59x
Essex 31 3.46x
Kent 22 1.42x
Yorkshire 15 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 7 2.44x
Surrey 7 0.32x
Lincolnshire 6 0.83x
Hampshire 5 0.54x
Derbyshire 4 0.56x
Gloucestershire 3 0.34x
Northamptonshire 2 0.47x
Warwickshire 2 0.17x
Channel Islands 1 0.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kings Lynn St Margaret in Norfolk leads with 54 Fayers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 257.88x.

Place Total Index
Kings Lynn St Margaret 54 257.88x
Cockfield 28 1931.03x
Offton 21 3888.89x
Lavenham 19 657.44x
Ipswich St Clement 15 106.84x
Kensington London 14 5.55x
Little Waldingfield 12 1846.15x
Otley 12 1212.12x
Bricett 10 2564.10x
Deptford St Paul 9 7.54x
Whitechapel London 9 20.13x
Bury St Edmunds St James 8 54.20x
Westminster St James 8 17.16x
Barking 7 244.76x
Coddenham 7 551.18x
Paddington London 7 4.20x
Speldhurst 7 88.83x
Combs 6 326.09x
Harwich St Nicholas 6 86.71x
Hitcham 6 431.65x
Knaith Lea Gate Burton 6 1034.48x
Preston 6 1276.60x
Sedbergh 6 361.45x
St Marylebone London 6 2.48x
Gaywood 5 400.00x
Ingoldisthorpe 5 1041.67x
Maldon St Peter 5 109.65x
Setchey 5 2777.78x
Stow Upland 5 274.73x
Upminster 5 268.82x
Walton Le Soken 5 234.74x
Alverstoke 4 11.89x
Armley 4 20.18x
Badwell Ash 4 579.71x
Barham 4 547.95x
Bethnal Green London 4 2.03x
Bromley London 4 4.01x
Cheveley 4 408.16x
Derby St Werburgh 4 9.75x
South Lynn 4 50.83x
St George Martyr London 4 43.53x
Stanton 4 305.34x
West Ham 4 2.02x
Brent Eleigh 3 833.33x
Brightwell 3 2727.27x
Fulham London 3 4.56x
Great Welnetham 3 441.18x
Grimston 3 170.45x
Herne 3 43.80x
Manningham 3 5.42x
Minchinhampton 3 42.31x
St Andrewthe Less 3 9.14x
Stoke Newington London 3 8.49x
Stowmarket 3 47.02x
Wanstead 3 19.13x
Benhall 2 206.19x
Birmingham 2 0.52x
Bow London 2 3.46x
Bradfield St Clare 2 512.82x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 2 19.29x
Enfield 2 6.72x
Gayton 2 169.49x
Gillingham 2 6.27x
Ipswich St Helen 2 30.53x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 10.67x
Ipswich St Mary At Elms 2 114.29x
Ipswich St Nicholas 2 65.79x
Islington London 2 0.45x
Kelvedon 2 83.68x
Lambeth 2 0.51x
Penge 2 6.90x
Sculcoates 2 2.81x
Walsoken 2 47.73x
Beckenham 1 4.94x
Clerkenwell London 1 0.93x
Fakenham Magna 1 333.33x
Ipswich St Peter 1 13.44x
North Runcton 1 263.16x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 4.61x
St Helier 1 2.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 30
George 22
John 22
Thomas 14
Frederick 10
Charles 9
Robert 9
James 8
Samuel 8
Walter 8
Arthur 7
Alfred 6
Harry 5
Henry 5
Joseph 5
Martin 5
Albert 4
Ernest 4
Edward 3
Frank 3
Harold 3
Able 2
Abraham 2
Abram 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Frederic 2
Betress 1
Charlie 1
Earnest 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Freeman 1
Harrison 1
Herbert 1
Herbit 1
Johnathan 1
Joshua 1
Lewis 1
Master 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Ruth 1
Simmons 1
Sydney 1
Tedd 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Fayers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fayers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 464 people were recorded with the Fayers surname. That placed it at #7,157 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fayers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 593 in 2016. That gives Fayers a modern rank of #8,799.

What does the Fayers map show?

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