NameCensus.

UK surname

Fereday

A geographical surname derived from the Old English words "feren" meaning traveling or wandering.

In the 1881 census there were 416 people recorded with the Fereday surname, ranking it #7,749 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 886, ranked #6,371, up from #7,749 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Sedgley and Tipton otherwise Tibington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell, South Lakeland and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fereday is 942 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 113.0%.

1881 census count

416

Ranked #7,749

Modern count

886

2016, ranked #6,371

Peak year

1999

942 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fereday had 416 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,749 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 886 in 2016, ranked #6,371.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 685 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Fereday surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fereday surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Fereday 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 329 #7,079
1861 historical 278 #8,998
1881 historical 416 #7,749
1891 historical 537 #7,007
1901 historical 606 #7,017
1911 historical 685 #6,182
1997 modern 859 #6,185
1998 modern 920 #6,048
1999 modern 942 #5,985
2000 modern 933 #6,020
2001 modern 916 #5,999
2002 modern 929 #6,041
2003 modern 929 #5,939
2004 modern 924 #5,956
2005 modern 907 #5,991
2006 modern 886 #6,111
2007 modern 891 #6,135
2008 modern 898 #6,140
2009 modern 920 #6,151
2010 modern 938 #6,179
2011 modern 923 #6,204
2012 modern 910 #6,201
2013 modern 922 #6,237
2014 modern 910 #6,322
2015 modern 903 #6,315
2016 modern 886 #6,371

Geography

Back to top

Where Feredays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington, Walsall and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell, South Lakeland and Dudley. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Sedgley Staffordshire
3 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 033 Sandwell
2 South Lakeland 010 South Lakeland
3 Sandwell 029 Sandwell
4 Sandwell 035 Sandwell
5 Dudley 021 Dudley

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Fereday

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Fereday

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Fereday surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Fereday household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Fereday is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Fereday is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fereday falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fereday is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Fereday, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fereday

The surname Fereday is believed to have originated in England, possibly as early as the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "feor" meaning "far" and "daeg" meaning "day," suggesting it may have been a descriptive surname given to someone who had traveled a long distance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a John Fereday is listed. This suggests the name was already established in that region by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the surname can be found in various records, such as the Parish Registers of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, where a William Fereday was recorded in 1562. The name also appears in the Protestation Returns of 1641-1642, which were lists of those who protested against the Church of England, with a John Fereday being listed in Warwickshire.

The surname Fereday has also been associated with certain place names, such as Fereday Hill in Worcestershire, which may have been named after an early bearer of the name.

One notable figure with the surname Fereday was Richard Fereday (1605-1681), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, from 1662 until his death.

Another individual of note was John Fereday (1766-1827), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, including parts of Wadham College, Oxford, and the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Cheltenham.

In the 19th century, a Robert Fereday (1802-1891) was a prominent Birmingham manufacturer of brass and iron goods, who also served as a local councilor and magistrate.

A more recent figure was Walter Fereday (1875-1965), a British trade unionist and Labour Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Northwich from 1929 to 1931.

Additionally, the surname Fereday has been associated with the pottery industry in Staffordshire, with several potters and ceramicists bearing the name, such as John Fereday (1784-1859), who was a notable figure in the Staffordshire pottery industry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Fereday families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fereday 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. Staffordshire leads with 217 Feredays recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.92x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 217 15.92x
Worcestershire 53 10.05x
Warwickshire 40 3.93x
Middlesex 36 0.89x
Yorkshire 11 0.27x
Cheshire 9 1.01x
Berkshire 8 2.64x
Gloucestershire 8 1.01x
Essex 7 0.88x
Lancashire 5 0.10x
Lincolnshire 5 0.77x
Monmouthshire 4 1.37x
Surrey 4 0.20x
Glamorgan 3 0.43x
Shropshire 2 0.57x
Hertfordshire 1 0.36x
Royal Navy 1 2.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tipton in Staffordshire leads with 33 Feredays recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.06x.

Place Total Index
Tipton 33 79.06x
West Bromwich 31 39.72x
Walsall Foreign 29 41.18x
Wolverhampton 21 20.03x
Kingswinford 20 40.40x
Aston 18 6.42x
Birmingham 18 5.30x
Bilston 11 41.64x
Dudley 11 17.16x
Kings Norton 11 23.26x
Wednesfield 11 54.84x
Cannock 9 37.83x
Denaby 9 398.23x
Harborne 9 20.60x
Oldbury 9 34.68x
Poplar London 9 11.81x
Willenhall 9 35.25x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 10.73x
Reading St Giles 8 26.90x
Wednesbury 8 23.48x
Wolstanton 8 19.32x
Hackney London 7 3.09x
Sedgley 7 13.83x
West Ham 7 3.98x
Leigh 6 93.75x
Mile End Old Town London 6 6.98x
Wolverley 6 129.59x
Hampstead London 5 7.95x
Rowley Regis 5 13.16x
Sale 5 45.70x
Scunthorpe 5 172.41x
Bow London 4 7.78x
Sutton Coldfield 4 37.35x
Windle 4 14.84x
Beoley 3 357.14x
Llandough Juxta Cardiff 3 422.54x
Newport 3 21.54x
Rushall 3 37.41x
St George In East London 3 7.90x
Upperswinford 3 67.26x
Albrighton 2 118.34x
Berrow 2 384.62x
Birkenhead 2 2.81x
Chester St Mary On Hill 2 26.14x
Hemsworth 2 86.96x
Ripple 2 200.00x
Rotherhithe 2 4.01x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 2.46x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 1.38x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.05x
Himley 1 208.33x
Manchester 1 0.46x
Royal Navy 1 2.43x
St Pancras London 1 0.31x
St Woollos 1 3.07x
Stevenage 1 23.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 38
Sarah 24
Elizabeth 12
Jane 9
Hannah 7
Louisa 7
Alice 6
Ann 6
Clara 6
Emily 6
Annie 5
Eliza 4
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Harriet 3
Jemima 3
Lucy 3
Margaret 3
Bertha 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Esther 2
Eva 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Helen 2
Janet 2
Kate 2
Lavinia 2
Lydia 2
M.A. 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Naomi 2
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Christana 1
E.R. 1
Elinor 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Henrietta 1
Hepzibah 1
Jennie 1
Jessie 1
Lizzie 1
M.J. 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 27
William 23
Thomas 19
Joseph 13
James 11
Henry 8
Benjamin 7
Edward 7
Alfred 5
Daniel 5
Robert 5
Samuel 5
George 4
Walter 4
Charles 3
Enoch 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Benjn. 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Job 2
Josiah 2
Simeon 2
Alexander 1
Alf. 1
Allan 1
Bernard 1
Cornelius 1
Ely 1
F. 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.J. 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Harvey 1
Jabez 1
Noah 1
Oliver 1
Owen 1
Patrick 1
Richd. 1
Simeion 1
Soloman 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Fereday surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fereday surname in 1881?

In 1881, 416 people were recorded with the Fereday surname. That placed it at #7,749 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fereday surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 886 in 2016. That gives Fereday a modern rank of #6,371.

What does the Fereday surname mean?

A geographical surname derived from the Old English words "feren" meaning traveling or wandering.

What does the Fereday map show?

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