The surname Fairburn may refer to: Charles Fairburn (1887–1945), Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London Midland & Scottish Railway Harold Fairburn (1884–1973), Inspector-General of the Straits Settlements Police (Singapore) Jeff Fairburn (born 1966), British businessman Paul Fairburn, British radio broadcaster Rex Fairburn (1904–1957), New Zealand poet William Armstrong Fairburn (1876–1947), author, naval architect, marine engineer, and industrialist T. C. Fairbairn (1874–1978), impresario William E. Fairbairn, (1885-1960) British Royal Marine and police officer.