Fairbairn Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Fairbairn last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Fairbairn last name
Meaning of the Fairbairn last name: fair child. Fairbairn is a Scottish surname from Scots fair bairn, "handsome child", a nickname. It is typical of the Borders and the Lothians. Engineer William Fairbairn, a pioneer of iron ships and bridges, carried this last name, and so did the wartime fighting instructor William Fairbairn of the Fairbairn-Sykes knife.
Arms associated with the Fairbairn name
Coats of arms associated with the Fairbairn surname follow Scottish heraldry, where each blazon belongs to one bearer.
Get your full Fairbairn family history
This is only a glimpse of the Fairbairn story. The full Fairbairn history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Fairbairn coat of arms. Get the full Fairbairn report.
Fairbairn name FAQ
What does the Fairbairn name mean?
Fair child. Common variants include Fairbairne, Fairburn.
Where does the Fairbairn surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Fairbairn coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Fairbairn coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).