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

Phair, 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 Phair surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Phair in America

Phair is the 21524th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Phair surname appeared 1,213 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 Phair.

We can also compare 2010 data for Phair 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 Phair

The surname Phair has its origins in England and is believed to have derived from the Old English word "fær," which means "journey" or "passage." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive name for someone who frequently traveled or was a traveler.

The earliest known record of the surname Phair dates back to the late 12th century. It appears in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a person named William Fere is mentioned. This early spelling variation, "Fere," is thought to be one of the earliest forms of the modern surname Phair.

In the 13th century, the surname Phair can be found in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a Robert le Fere. The prefix "le" in this spelling indicates that the name was used as a descriptive term at the time.

During the medieval period, the name Phair was also associated with certain place names in England. For instance, there was a hamlet called Fere in Buckinghamshire, which may have contributed to the surname's development.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Phair was John Phair, born in 1510 in Gloucestershire, England. He was a renowned scholar and author who wrote several works on theology and philosophy.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure with the surname Phair was Robert Phair, born in 1625 in Somerset, England. He was a successful merchant and was involved in the East India Company's trade with the Indian subcontinent.

Another noteworthy individual was Elizabeth Phair, born in 1745 in Wiltshire, England. She was a renowned poet and playwright, known for her works that explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition.

In the 19th century, one of the most well-known individuals with the surname Phair was George Phair, born in 1820 in Yorkshire, England. He was a prominent architect who designed several notable buildings, including St. Michael's Church in Leeds and the Town Hall in Bradford.

The surname Phair also has a presence in Scotland, where it is believed to have derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "faire," meaning "to watch" or "to guard." One notable Scottish individual with the surname Phair was William Phair, born in 1780 in Aberdeenshire. He was a celebrated poet and played a significant role in preserving and promoting Scottish literature and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Phair

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

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 Phair 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 Phair 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 Phair was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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