Contents [hide]

Fairweather History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Fairweather History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Early Origins of the Fairweather family

The surname Fairweather was first found in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: John Fayrweder in Cambridgeshire; and Hugh Fairweder in Lincolnshire. 1

There are various thoughts as to the origin of the name. They include: "a nickname for one of a jovial or sunny disposition," 2; and "one who worked only in good weather; one with a happy disposition," 1 3

By far, the strongest showing for the surname lies in Scotland where " John Phairwedder held a land in Perth in the reign of James II and Christopher Farewethir was serjeant of Linlithgow in 1472. The surname is of considerable antiquity in the Menmuir district. Valter Farwedder, presbyter of Dunkeld, whose name appears in 1547-63 is probably the first of the name in the locality. There were Fairweathers in Blairno in Navar in the early seventeenth century." 4

By the 16th century, "Thomas Fairweather is recorded in Dundee in 1583, and eighteen more of the name appear in the Commissariot Record of Brechin between 1576 and 1800. Thomas Fairwoder was burgess of Dundee in 1634, and the Devil rebaptized the witch Catherine Skair in Brechin by the name of Isoble Farewedder. Janet Fairweather is recorded in the parish of Olrik in 1664 (Caithness), and John Fairweather of Turriff was killed in the first Great War."

"A fanciful story is told of the origin of the name of the Fairweathers of Angus. This sept, it is said, was a branch of the old tribe of Morrey. The name is said, according to private family tradition, to be derived from three brothers' of the ancient Murrevians, who being forced to leave the north, assumed the name, in order to perpetuate the remembrance of their northern descent." 4

Early History of the Fairweather family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fairweather research. Another 283 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1274, 1350, 1477, 1547, 1583, 1600, 1609 and 1664 are included under the topic Early Fairweather History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fairweather Spelling Variations

The name, Fairweather, occurred in many references, and from time to time, it was spelt Fairweather, Fareweather and others.

Early Notables of the Fairweather family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

Christopher Fairweather of Linlithgow

Fairweather Ranking

In the United States, the name Fairweather is the 16,959^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Fairweather migration to the United States +

The New World beckoned settlers from the Scottish-English borders. They sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. Some called them, less romantically, the "coffin ships." Among the early settlers bearing the Fairweather surname who came to North America were:

Fairweather Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William H Fairweather, who arrived in New York in 1835 6
Carlston Fairweather, aged 6, who landed in America, in 1893
Alex Fairweather, aged 19, who immigrated to the United States from Aberdeen, in 1897

Fairweather Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Fairweather, aged 50, who landed in America from Glasgow, in 1903
Alex. Fairweather, aged 20, who landed in America from Dundee, in 1904
Charles E. Fairweather, aged 45, who landed in America from Arbroath, in 1904
Agnes Fairweather, aged 33, who immigrated to the United States from Cupar Fyfe, in 1906
Charles Fairweather, aged 24, who immigrated to the United States from Dundee, Scotland, in 1907
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Fairweather migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Fairweather Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. John Fairweather U.E. who settled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 he is listed with the Loyalists and Disbanded Soldiers whose names appear as Passamaquoddy New Brunswick Loyalists 7
Mr. Thomas Fairweather U.E. (b. 1748) who settled in Kingsclear, York County, New Brunswick c. 1784 he died in 1825 in Norton, New Brunswick 7
Mr. Benjamin Fairweather U.E. who settled in New Brunswick c. 1784 7
Mr. Jede Fairweather U.E. (b. 1735) who settled in New Brunswick c. 1784 he died in 1831 7
Mr. Jedediah Fairweather U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 7

Fairweather Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Charles Fairweather, aged 26, who immigrated to Montreal, Canada, in 1923

Fairweather migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Fairweather Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Fairweather, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Jenny Lind" in 1850 8
Henry Howell Fairweather, aged 19, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Confiance" 9

Fairweather migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Fairweather Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

R Fairweather, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Lady Nugent
Robert Fairweather, aged 32, a smith, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" in 1841
Barbara Fairweather, aged 25, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" in 1841
Mary Anne Fairweather, aged 7, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" in 1841
John Fairweather, aged 4, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" in 1841
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Fairweather (post 1700) +

Owen Fairweather, prominent Chicago lawyer who has written on labour relations and American law
Carlton U. Fairweather (b. 1961), retired English footballer
Ken Fairweather (1945-2022), Papua New Guinean politician, Member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from 2007 to 2017, Minister for Housing and Urban Development in 2011
G Ernest Fairweather, prominent Saint John, New Brunswick architect of the 1800's
Mr. Robert John Fairweather O.B.E., British recipient of the Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to International Relations 10
Frederick Victor "Fred" Fairweather (b. 1913), Australian rules footballer
Kate Fairweather (b. 1975), Australian female Olympic archer
Jackie Fairweather (b. 1967), Australian three-time gold, three-time silver medalist triathlete and long-distance runner
Simon John Fairweather OAM (b. 1969), Australian two-time gold and bronze medalist archer
Brigadier Claude Cyril Fairweather, the distinguished holder of the Officer Order of the British Empire for duty in World War II
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Fairweather Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Volvitur et ridet
Motto Translation: He revolves and smiles.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) JENNY LIND 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850JennyLind.gif
South Australian Register Wednesday 13th September 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Confiance 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/confiance1854.shtml
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists