NameCensus.

UK surname

Littlefair

A surname derived from a small rural fair or market.

In the 1881 census there were 428 people recorded with the Littlefair surname, ranking it #7,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 791, ranked #6,984, up from #7,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Middlesborough and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Littlefair is 846 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 84.8%.

1881 census count

428

Ranked #7,587

Modern count

791

2016, ranked #6,984

Peak year

2010

846 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Littlefair had 428 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 791 in 2016, ranked #6,984.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 727 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Littlefair surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Littlefair surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Littlefair 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 222 #9,597
1861 historical 274 #9,111
1881 historical 428 #7,587
1891 historical 530 #7,073
1901 historical 652 #6,629
1911 historical 727 #5,889
1997 modern 786 #6,637
1998 modern 829 #6,567
1999 modern 837 #6,563
2000 modern 798 #6,787
2001 modern 784 #6,748
2002 modern 838 #6,535
2003 modern 793 #6,697
2004 modern 813 #6,581
2005 modern 816 #6,508
2006 modern 814 #6,522
2007 modern 813 #6,597
2008 modern 818 #6,614
2009 modern 832 #6,674
2010 modern 846 #6,719
2011 modern 840 #6,679
2012 modern 794 #6,874
2013 modern 811 #6,866
2014 modern 817 #6,861
2015 modern 808 #6,870
2016 modern 791 #6,984

Geography

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Where Littlefairs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Middlesborough, Preston, Blackburn and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, New Forest and Darlington. 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 Middlesborough Durham
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stockton-on-Tees 018 Stockton-on-Tees
2 Stockton-on-Tees 008 Stockton-on-Tees
3 County Durham 045 County Durham
4 New Forest 019 New Forest
5 Darlington 014 Darlington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Littlefair

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Littlefair

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Littlefair surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Littlefair household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Littlefair is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Littlefair is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Littlefair falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Littlefair

The surname Littlefair originated in England during the late medieval period, around the 14th or 15th century. It is an English locational surname, derived from a place name that no longer exists or has changed spelling over time. The prefix "Little" suggests the name referred to a small or minor location, while "fair" likely meant a village green, market, or fair site.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Littlefair surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1524, where a John Lyttlefayre is listed. This spelling variation highlights the inconsistencies in surname spellings before their standardization in the 17th century. Other early spellings include Lytlefayre, Lytlefaire, and Lyttelfaire.

In the 16th century, a William Littlefair was recorded as residing in the parish of Cuckfield, Sussex, in 1558. This suggests the surname may have originated in this region, though its exact place of origin remains uncertain. No specific place names have been definitively linked to the Littlefair surname.

Notable individuals with the Littlefair surname throughout history include John Littlefair, a merchant from Bristol, England, who lived in the late 16th century. In the 18th century, a Samuel Littlefair (1720-1784) was a prominent landowner and farmer in the village of Boughton Malherbe, Kent.

During the 19th century, a Thomas Littlefair (1821-1892) was a successful businessman and industrialist from Staffordshire, England, who owned several pottery and brick manufacturing companies. Another individual of note was Mary Littlefair (1845-1923), a philanthropist and social reformer from Yorkshire, who campaigned for improved living conditions for working-class families.

In the early 20th century, a Walter Littlefair (1876-1956) achieved recognition as a talented landscape painter, known for his depictions of rural scenes in the English countryside. His works were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prestigious galleries throughout his career.

While the Littlefair surname is relatively uncommon, it has a rich and diverse history rooted in the English medieval period. Its origins and meanings have been shaped by location, occupation, and the individuals who have borne this name over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Littlefair families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Littlefair 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 186 Littlefairs recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.01x.

County Total Index
Durham 186 15.01x
Lancashire 88 1.78x
Yorkshire 59 1.43x
Northumberland 48 7.75x
Westmorland 28 30.59x
Midlothian 12 2.15x
Cornwall 1 0.21x
Cumberland 1 0.28x
Essex 1 0.12x
Hampshire 1 0.12x
Roxburghshire 1 1.33x
Surrey 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 33 Littlefairs recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.95x.

Place Total Index
Preston 33 24.95x
Stockton On Tees 28 46.88x
Brandon Byshottles 17 109.54x
Bishopwearmouth 14 13.16x
Chester Le Street 14 147.06x
Langleydale Shotton 14 4666.67x
Asby 13 1830.99x
Heap 12 45.78x
Stanhope 12 93.75x
Warrington 12 20.48x
Blackburn 11 8.37x
Elvet 11 122.91x
Burton In Lonsdale 10 1123.60x
Shap 10 495.05x
Wall 10 1754.39x
Burradon In Tynemouth 8 506.33x
Chilton 8 206.72x
Corsenside 8 824.74x
Newcastle On Tyne St 8 24.91x
Singleton 7 1372.55x
Slaidburn 7 985.92x
Washington 7 134.62x
Darlington 6 12.54x
Edinburgh St Georges 6 51.81x
Evenwood Barony 6 142.52x
Halifax 6 9.90x
Middlesbrough 6 11.16x
Stranton 6 14.38x
Barnoldswick 5 86.81x
Hartley 5 2380.95x
Humshaugh 5 735.29x
Medomsley 5 86.51x
Muggleswick 5 416.67x
Osmotherley 5 381.68x
Whessoe 5 1351.35x
East Thickley 4 159.36x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 10.81x
Reeth 4 392.16x
Walworth 4 1538.46x
Whalley 4 55.56x
Bowling 3 7.34x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 1.34x
Great Aycliffe 3 250.00x
Holbeck 3 10.97x
Hulme 3 2.91x
Satley 3 422.54x
Starforth 3 405.41x
Westoe 3 4.27x
Westwick 3 2727.27x
Colne 2 13.59x
Easington In Guisbrough 2 217.39x
East West Charlton 2 526.32x
Little Bavington 2 1818.18x
West Calder 2 18.18x
Witton Le Wear 2 56.98x
Aldershot 1 3.50x
Barnard Castle 1 16.31x
Benwell 1 14.77x
Caldwell 1 400.00x
Croft 1 129.87x
Crossgate 1 18.45x
Edenhall 1 263.16x
Falmouth 1 5.99x
Holy Trinity 1 1.01x
Horton In Ribblesdale 1 131.58x
Hunstonworth 1 138.89x
Little Bolton 1 1.57x
Newington 1 0.65x
North Meols 1 2.07x
Raby Keverstone 1 250.00x
Sedgefield 1 22.62x
South Leith 1 1.59x
Southcoates 1 4.36x
Stretford 1 3.68x
Waltham Holy Cross 1 13.00x
Walton Le Dale 1 7.53x
West Auckland 1 22.08x
Wilton 1 12.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 26
Jane 22
Margaret 19
Isabella 10
Sarah 8
Ann 7
Ellen 7
Annie 5
Eleanor 5
Martha 4
Alice 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Caroline 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Margt.F. 2
Selina 2
Celina 1
Charlotte 1
Christiana 1
Christina 1
Constance 1
Dorah 1
Dorothy 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth.Jane 1
Esher 1
Ethal 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
James 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Matthew 1
Maud 1
Nancy 1
Rachel 1
Susanna 1
Sylvia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 40
Thomas 37
William 29
James 23
George 14
Benjamin 7
Robert 7
Charles 6
Henry 6
Joseph 6
Peter 5
Edward 4
Ralph 4
Richard 4
Frederick 3
Anthony 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Edw. 1
Edwin 1
Emanuel 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Hunter 1
Jno. 1
Joshua 1
Mark 1
Marshall 1
Mathew 1
Matthew 1
Octairis 1
Robt. 1
Septmus 1
Thompson 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Littlefair surname: questions and answers

How common was the Littlefair surname in 1881?

In 1881, 428 people were recorded with the Littlefair surname. That placed it at #7,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Littlefair surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 791 in 2016. That gives Littlefair a modern rank of #6,984.

What does the Littlefair surname mean?

A surname derived from a small rural fair or market.

What does the Littlefair map show?

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