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Fairbairn Family History

Fairbairn Name Meaning

Scottish: nickname from Older Scots fair bairn ‘fair child’ (from Middle English fair ‘fair beautiful; light of complexion or color of hair or eyes’ + barn ‘child’). This surname may have become confused with Fairburn and Freeborn .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Fairman, Fairall, Fairchild, Fairfax, Freebairn, Fairleigh, Fargason

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Fairbairn family from?

You can see how Fairbairn families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fairbairn family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fairbairn families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 304 Fairbairn families living in Northumberland. This was about 31% of all the recorded Fairbairn's in United Kingdom. Northumberland had the highest population of Fairbairn families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fairbairn surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Fairbairn ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Fairbairn. 10% of Fairbairn men worked as a General Labourer and 76% of Fairbairn women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Fairbairn were Bread Baker and Unpaid Domestic. .

View Census Data for Fairbairn | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Solicitor
    5%
  • Insurance Agent
    4%
  • Bread Baker
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Fairbairn family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 43,000 census records available for the last name Fairbairn. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fairbairn census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Fairbairn

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Fairbairn. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Fairbairn immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Fairbairn. For the veterans among your Fairbairn ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fairbairn military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fairbairn family history

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What is the average Fairbairn lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Fairbairn life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Fairbairn in 1955 was 56, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fairbairn

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