The Fairley surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 6,398 people carried this name — #5,441 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 46,100 people counted. That is up 12% from 5,723 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Fairley surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Fairleigh’.

An early record he cites: Jacob de Farlegh, Wiltshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Fairleigh, Fairley, Fairlie and Farley.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 280 · public domain.

In Scotland’s registers today

Fairley was recorded 24 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1003rd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 51. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Fairley in American newspapers,
1904–1910.

Newspaper page from The L'anse Sentinel carrying the name Fairley
The L'anse Sentinel 1910-02-26
Newspaper page from Five Mile Beach Weekly Journal carrying the name Fairley
Five Mile Beach Weekly Journal 1909-02-26
Newspaper page from The Kanabec County Times carrying the name Fairley
The Kanabec County Times 1904-08-05

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 14,088 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Fairley in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1990s.

10,550 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Fairley. The most, 2,579, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 2.2 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 4,417
New South Wales 2,968
Queensland 1,693
South Australia 815
Western Australia 520
Tasmania 88
ACT (Canberra) 23
Northern Territory 5

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Fairley.

Who carried it

People named Fairley,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Barker Fairley
    Barker Fairley 1887–1986 · painter
  • Andy Fairley d. 1999 · poet
  • Margaret Fairley 1885–1968 · writer
  • Margaret Fairley 1885–1968 · writer
  • Neil Hamilton Fairley 1891–1966 · physician
  • Rolland Fairley 1904–1930 · Australian rules football player

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Fairley,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States425 records

425 records of the Fairley name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 182
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 69
  • Other U.S. records 174
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Willard Monroe Fairley

    Born 1915 in Mississippi. Enlisted 1945 at Camp Shelby; welder from Jackson County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1992, buried at Biloxi National Cemetery, Mississippi.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Maria Fairley

    Arrived at Boston in 1884 aboard the Catalonia from Liverpool, aged 18; servant. From Ireland; bound for Boston.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Theron Fairley

    Born 1934; from Leaf, Mississippi. U.S. Marine Corps; died of wounds 1953 in Korea.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 425 records for Fairley in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia305 records

305 records of the Fairley name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 165
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 60
  • Other Australian records 80
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Hugh Fairley

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Blenheim, sailing from Plymouth in 1850. Native of Edinburgh, Midlothian. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1852.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record James Fairley

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Montgomery, aged 7; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Ellen Jane Taylor Fairley

    Retired of Sth Yarra, Victoria; died 1979.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 305 records for Fairley in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada50 records

50 records of the Fairley name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 14
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 12
  • Other Canadian records 24
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Wm Fairley

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Peruvian, landing at Halifax, bound for London, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John Crawford Fairley

    Buried in 1977 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 74.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Noah Fairley

    Died 1949 in Glace Bay, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 50 records for Fairley in Canada.

Counts: City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom44 records

44 records of the Fairley name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 31
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 8
  • Other British records 5
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jessie Fairley

    Died 1924, aged 83; buried at Logie Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Alexander Fairley

    Buried in 1826 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 41.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record William K. Fairley

    Died 1918. Named in the roll of honour of the Royal High School of Edinburgh (1920).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 3 of 44 records for Fairley in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Fairley name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edith Mabel Fairley

    Died 1948, aged 68; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Fairley

    Died 1898, aged 77; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France1 record

1 record of the Fairley name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Mark Louis Fairley

    Born 1964 in Great Britain; died 1994 in Saint-Trojan-les-Bains (Charente-Maritime).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Fairley name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Michael Thomas Fairley

    Married in 1945 in Nijmegen; fitter.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Fairley.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Fairley is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Fairley volume
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