The name Fairbain comes from the ancient
Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It was a name for a person with attractive, youthful looks, or someone who was noted as having been a beautiful child. The surname Fairbain is derived from the Old English words fair, which means lovely, and bearn, which means child. However, the name Fairbain may also be a
local surname applied to someone from the settlement of Fairbourne in
Kent or Fairburn in the West Riding of
Yorkshire. In this case, Fairbain belongs to the large category of
Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
Early Origins of the Fairbain family
The surname Fairbain was first found in North
Yorkshire at Fairburn, a small village and civil parish in the Selby district that dates back to before the
Domesday Book when it was listed as Fareburne c. 1030. A few years later in 1086, the
Domesday Book lists the placename as Fareburne
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8) and literally meant "stream where ferns grow," having derived from the Old English fearn + burna.
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Early History of the Fairbain family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fairbain research.
Another 331 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1297, 1327, 1644 and 1680 are included under the topic Early Fairbain History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Fairbain Spelling Variations
Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Fairbain has undergone many
spelling variations, including Fairbairn, Fairbairns, Fairbarn, Fairborn, Fairborne and many more.
Early Notables of the Fairbain family (pre 1700)
Another 22 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fairbain Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Fairbain family to the New World and Oceana
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Fairbain Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Sarah Fairbain, aged 25, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Samuel Boddington" [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SAMUEL BODDINGTON 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849SamuelBoddington.htm
Fairbain Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Stewart Fairbain, aged 19, a labourer, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Chile" in 1874
- Samuel Fairbain, aged 25, a blacksmith, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Strathnaver" in 1874
The Fairbain 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: Nec cede arduis
Motto Translation: Not high yield