Find out how popular the last name Fairbrother is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Fairbrother.

Fairbrother, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Fairbrother surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fairbrother in America

Fairbrother is the 20949th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fairbrother surname appeared 1,257 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Fairbrother.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fairbrother to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Fairbrother

The surname Fairbrother has its origins in England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Middle English words "fair" and "brother," referring to a member of a religious fraternity or brotherhood known for their fair or light complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1190, which mentions a William Fairbrother. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 12th century.

During the 13th century, the surname appeared in various records across England, often associated with religious orders or monasteries. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 list a William le Fairebrother in Oxfordshire, while the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 mention a John Fayrbrother in Lincolnshire.

In the 14th century, the surname began to spread more widely across England. The Poll Tax Returns of 1381 record a Richard Fairbrother in Yorkshire, and the Court Rolls of Wiltshire from 1392 mention a Thomas Fayrbrother.

One notable figure bearing the Fairbrother name was John Fairbrother (c. 1450-1514), a English cleric and scholar who served as the Archdeacon of Worcester. He was known for his contributions to the study of ecclesiastical law and canon law.

Another individual of note was Sir Randal Fairbrother (1567-1647), a prominent English soldier and landowner from Shropshire. He served in the English Civil War and was knighted for his loyalty to King Charles I.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname continued to be found across various parts of England, with variations in spelling such as Fairbrother, Fairebrother, and Fayrbrother. The parish records of Staffordshire from 1594 mention a Thomas Fairbrother, while the Hearth Tax Rolls of Yorkshire from 1672 list a William Fairbrother.

In the 18th century, the name appeared in various regions of England, including the Midlands and the North. One notable figure was John Fairbrother (1738-1811), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Piccadilly Mansion.

As the centuries progressed, the Fairbrother surname continued to be found across England, with individuals bearing the name making contributions in various fields, such as law, academia, and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fairbrother

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Fairbrother.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Fairbrother was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Fairbrother has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Fairbrother was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Fairbrother, please contact us.

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