NameCensus.

UK surname

Playfair

A locational surname likely derived from an English place name.

In the 1881 census there were 231 people recorded with the Playfair surname, ranking it #11,722 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 308, ranked #14,479, down from #11,722 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Earlston, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Galashiels South, Cheviot East and IZ13.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Playfair is 315 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.3%.

1881 census count

231

Ranked #11,722

Modern count

308

2016, ranked #14,479

Peak year

2014

315 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Playfair had 231 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,722 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 308 in 2016, ranked #14,479.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 274 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Playfair surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Playfair surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Playfair 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 147 #13,084
1861 historical 160 #14,468
1881 historical 231 #11,722
1891 historical 242 #13,048
1901 historical 274 #12,370
1911 historical 148 #18,023
1997 modern 242 #15,597
1998 modern 252 #15,584
1999 modern 266 #15,150
2000 modern 248 #15,827
2001 modern 230 #16,415
2002 modern 240 #16,291
2003 modern 235 #16,291
2004 modern 235 #16,379
2005 modern 232 #16,480
2006 modern 240 #16,177
2007 modern 262 #15,399
2008 modern 271 #15,182
2009 modern 278 #15,230
2010 modern 291 #15,050
2011 modern 289 #14,974
2012 modern 296 #14,635
2013 modern 309 #14,451
2014 modern 315 #14,334
2015 modern 314 #14,275
2016 modern 308 #14,479

Geography

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Where Playfairs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Earlston, London parishes, Edinburgh, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Galashiels South, Cheviot East, IZ13, Waltham Forest and Falkland and Freuchie. 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 Earlston Berwick
2 London parishes London 1
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Galashiels South Scottish Borders
2 Cheviot East Scottish Borders
3 IZ13 East Lothian
4 Waltham Forest 021 Waltham Forest
5 Falkland and Freuchie Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Playfair

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Playfair

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Playfair 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

Playfair is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Playfair

The surname Playfair has its origins in Scotland, specifically in the Scottish Lowlands. It is believed to have emerged sometime around the 12th or 13th century. The name is thought to derive from the Old French phrase "plai feir," which means "fair play" or "fair field."

This surname is often associated with the lands and estates of the same name located near the town of St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland. The earliest recorded reference to the name Playfair can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a historical record of Scottish nobles and gentry who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England in the late 13th century.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Playfair surname was Sir John Playfair, a Scottish nobleman who lived in the 14th century. He was a prominent figure in the court of King Robert II of Scotland and was granted lands in Fife for his loyal service.

During the 16th century, the Playfair family played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation. Sir Patrick Playfair (c. 1510-1582) was a staunch Protestant and an influential figure in the religious and political affairs of Scotland during that time.

In the 17th century, Samuel Playfair (1625-1708) was a notable Scottish mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the field of navigation and was appointed as the first Professor of Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh.

Another prominent bearer of the Playfair name was William Playfair (1759-1823), a Scottish political economist and inventor. He is credited with introducing several types of graphical representations of statistical data, including the pie chart and the bar chart, which revolutionized the way information was presented.

John Playfair (1748-1819) was a Scottish mathematician, physicist, and geologist. He played a key role in the development of the theory of plate tectonics and is widely regarded as one of the founders of modern geology.

Throughout history, the Playfair surname has been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Playfair Terrace in St. Andrews and Playfair House in Edinburgh, which was once the family's ancestral home.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Playfair families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Playfair 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. Midlothian leads with 31 Playfairs recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.31x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 31 10.31x
Perthshire 23 22.84x
Middlesex 21 0.94x
Berwickshire 20 73.61x
Yorkshire 20 0.90x
Lanarkshire 10 1.38x
Northumberland 9 2.70x
Surrey 9 0.82x
Cheshire 8 1.62x
Selkirkshire 8 39.41x
Staffordshire 8 1.06x
Fife 7 5.27x
Gloucestershire 7 1.59x
Hampshire 7 1.52x
Worcestershire 6 2.05x
Durham 5 0.75x
Norfolk 5 1.45x
Kent 4 0.52x
Lancashire 4 0.15x
Aberdeenshire 3 1.44x
Kincardineshire 3 10.98x
Angus 2 0.96x
Ayrshire 2 1.19x
Dunbartonshire 2 3.32x
Roxburghshire 2 4.92x
Hertfordshire 1 0.65x
Shropshire 1 0.52x
Sussex 1 0.26x
Warwickshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 21 Playfairs recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.37x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 21 17.37x
Headingley Cum Burley 11 76.87x
Abernyte 8 3809.52x
Eccles 8 672.27x
Melrose 8 156.56x
Poulton Cum Spital 8 2580.65x
Wakefield 8 46.87x
Alverstoke 7 42.04x
Bendochy 7 1272.73x
Kirknewton East 7 555.56x
Auchterderran 6 179.64x
Coldstream 6 304.57x
Islington London 6 2.76x
Kensington London 6 4.81x
Wolstanton 6 26.09x
Clifton 5 22.47x
Earlston 5 367.65x
Govan 5 2.79x
Newcastle On Tyne St 5 28.90x
St George Hanover 5 17.07x
Yardley 5 66.67x
Auchterarder 4 142.35x
Barony 4 2.18x
Thornton 4 4444.44x
Aberdeen Old Machar 3 6.92x
Benholm 3 256.41x
Blairgowrie 3 75.38x
Croydon 3 4.94x
Folkestone 3 20.20x
Lambeth 3 1.53x
Stranton 3 13.35x
West Derby 3 3.85x
Checkley 2 101.52x
Crailing 2 408.16x
Emneth 2 259.74x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 2 6.92x
Newington 2 2.41x
North Leith 2 14.38x
Norwich St Mary In Marsh 2 512.82x
Row 2 25.64x
St Pancras London 2 1.11x
Alyth 1 36.90x
Aston 1 0.64x
Auchterhouse 1 196.08x
Bishops Castle In 1 88.50x
Bleasdale 1 322.58x
Boxwell With Leighterton 1 526.32x
Brighton 1 1.31x
Ceres 1 62.50x
Cheltenham 1 2.95x
Chirnside 1 86.21x
Clifford Cum Boston 1 50.00x
Ealing 1 4.99x
East Dereham 1 22.94x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 17.12x
Eltham 1 22.27x
Glasgow 1 0.78x
Hemel Hempstead 1 14.35x
Largs 1 25.25x
Montrose 1 7.94x
Redditch 1 16.84x
Reigate Foreign 1 8.45x
St Marylebone London 1 0.83x
West Kilbride 1 62.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 7
Mary 6
Ada 4
Charlotte 4
Jane 4
Margaret 4
Edith 3
Catharine 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Audrey 1
Beatrice 1
Clara 1
Dorah 1
Dorothy 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Janette 1
Jannitte 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lilas 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 9
Charles 6
William 6
Henry 5
John 5
Albert 2
Frederick 2
James 2
Murray 2
Robert 2
Robt. 2
D.Wm. 1
David 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Lyon 1
Menzies 1
Nigel 1
Richard 1
Sidney 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Playfair surname: questions and answers

How common was the Playfair surname in 1881?

In 1881, 231 people were recorded with the Playfair surname. That placed it at #11,722 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Playfair surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 308 in 2016. That gives Playfair a modern rank of #14,479.

What does the Playfair surname mean?

A locational surname likely derived from an English place name.

What does the Playfair map show?

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