Faber is the Latin word for "smith". Like a few other Latin occupational names (e.g. Agricola for farmer, Nauta for sailor), it was adopted as a surname in the Low Countries and Germany. It is also common in England, perhaps due to Norman French influence. Notable people with the surname include:
Adele Faber (1928–2024), American author on parenting Andreas Faber-Kaiser (1944–1994), Spanish writer of German descent Antonius Faber (1557–1624), Savoisian nobleman and jurist Armin Faber (c. 1916 – c. 2000), German World War II pilot Aschwin Wildeboer Faber (born 1986), Spanish swimmer of Dutch origin Ate Faber (1894–1962), Dutch fencer Basil Faber (1520–1576), Lutheran theologian Brock Faber (born 2002), American ice hockey player Carla Faber (born 1971), Dutch art historian and politician Caroline Faber (1923–2016), English peer, daughter of PM Harold Macmillan Christian Wilhelm von Faber du Faur (1780–1857), Württemberg painter and army officer Claire Faber (born 1998), Luxembourgish racing cyclist Dave Faber (born 1975), Canadian singer and guitarist of Faber Drive David Faber (1928–2015), Polish Holocaust survivor David A. Faber (born 1942), American judge David Faber (born 1950), American printer David Faber (born 1961), British schoolmaster and politician David Faber (born 1964), American market news analyst Denison Faber, 1st Baron Wittenham (1852–1931), British peer Donna Faber (born 1971), American tennis player Edmund Faber, 1st Baron Faber (1847–1920), British politician Eli Faber (1943–2020), American historian Elmar Faber (1934–2017), German book publisher Emmanuel Faber (born 1964), French CEO Erik Faber (born 1977), Norwegian pop/rock singer-songwriter Ernest Faber (born 1971), Dutch footballer Erwin Faber (1891–1989), Austrian actor Eugeniusz Faber (1939–2021), Polish footballer Felix Faber (1441–1502), Swiss/German Dominican theologian Floreta Faber (born 1968), Albanian diplomat François Faber (1887–1915), Luxembourgish cyclist Frands Faber (1897–1933), Danish field hockey player Frédéric Théodore Faber (1782–1844), Belgian landscape and genre painter Frederick William Faber (1814–1863), British hymn writer and theologian Frederik Faber (1796–1828), Danish ornithologist Gastón Faber (born 1996), Uruguayan footballer Geke Faber (born 1952), Dutch politician Geoffrey Faber (1889–1961), British academic, publisher and poet, founder of Faber and Faber Limited Georg Faber (1877–1966), German mathematician George Henry Faber (1839–1910), British insurance underwriter and Liberal Party politician George S. J. Faber (born 1959), co-founder of British production company Company Pictures George Stanley Faber (1773–1854), Anglican theologian Giovanni Faber né Johann Faber (1574–1629), German papal doctor, botanist, and member of the Accademia dei Lincei Gordon Faber (1930–2014), American politician, in Oregon Heike Faber (born 1965), German actress Heinrich Faber (before 1500–1552), German music theorist, composer, and Kantor Horst Faber (1921–2022), German figure skater Jack Faber (1903–1994), American microbiologist and lacrosse coach Jacob Faber (fl. 1516 – c. 1550), French artist and publisher (active in Switzerland), easily confused with: Jacob Faber Stapulensis (c. 1455 – c. 1536), French Renaissance humanist and theologian Jacob Faber of Deventer (1473 – c. 1517), Dutch Renaissance humanist Jared Faber, American musician, composer and producer Jean-Paul Faber (1930–2018), French sports shooter Jeannette Faber (born 1982), American long-distance runner Jelle Faber (1924–2004), Dutch-Canadian theologian Joachim Faber (born 1950), German lawyer and business executive Johan Adam Faber (1692–1759), Flemish composer Johann Faber (1478–1541), German Catholic theologian Johann Faber of Heilbronn (1504–1558), German Catholic preacher Johann Augustanus Faber (1470–1531), Swiss theologian Johann Joachim Faber (1778–1846) German landscape painter John Faber the Elder (c. 1660 – 1721), Dutch portrait engraver active in London John Faber the Younger (1684–1756), Dutch portrait painter active in London John Faber, Kansas politician John Eberhard Faber (1822–1879), German-born American pencil manufacturer Jules Faber, Australian cartoonist and illustrator Julian Faber (1917–2002), British insurance businessman Karl Faber (1773–1853), German historian Kaspar Faber (1730–1784), German founder of the stationery company Faber-Castell Katherine Faber, American researcher Keith Faber (born 1966), American (Ohio) politician Klaas Carel Faber (1922–2012), Dutch collaborator with the Nazis Leslie Faber (1879–1929), English stage actor Linda Faber (born 1960), Dutch freestyle swimmer Lo Faber (born 1966), American guitarist and songwriter Lothar von Faber (1817–1896), German industrialist, born Lothar Faber Lucien Faber (born 1952), Luxembourgish racewalker Lykele Faber (1919–2009), Dutch commando and radio operator during World War II Marc Faber (born 1946), Swiss economist and investor Marcus Faber (born 1984), German politician Marjolein Faber (born 1960), Dutch politician Mark Faber (1950–1991), English cricketer Martin Hermann Faber (1586–1648), German painter, architect, and cartographer Mary Faber (1798–1857), African slave trader Mary Faber (born 1979), American singer, actress, and dancer Mary Eliza Faber (1850–1936), English novelist and non-fiction writer Matthew Faber, (1973–2020), American television actor Matthias Faber (1587–1653), German Jesuist priest Michael Faber (1929–2015), British economist Michael Faber (born 1995), German footballer Michel Faber (born 1960), Dutch novelist Oscar Faber (1886–1956), British structural engineer Olaf Wildeboer Faber (born 1983), Spanish swimmer of Dutch origin Pamela Faber (born 1950), American/Spanish linguist Patrick Faber (born 1964), Dutch field hockey player Patrick Faber (born 1978), Belizean politician St. Peter Faber (1506–1546), co-founder of the Society of Jesus Peter Faber (1810–1877), Danish songwriter, photographer and telegraphy expert Peter Faber (1943–2026), Dutch film and television actor Philip Faber (1564–1630), Italian Franciscan theologian and philosopher Phyllis M. Faber (born 1927), American botanist Pierre Faber (born 1978), German rugby player Rasmus Faber (born 1979), Swedish DJ, pianist and music producer Red Faber (1888–1976), American baseball pitcher Roland Faber (born 1960), American theologian Samantha "Sam" Faber (born 1987), American ice hockey player Sandra Faber (born 1944), American astronomer Simon Faber (born 1968), German politician and mayor Steve Faber, American screenwriter Tanaquil Faber (1615–1672), French classical scholar Tobias Faber (1915–2010), Danish architect Tom Faber (1927–2004), British physicist and publisher Toos Faber-de Heer (1929–2020), Dutch TV presenter and civil servant Urijah Faber (born 1979), American mixed martial arts fighter Vance Faber (born 1944), American mathematician Walter Vavasour Faber (1857–1928), English Conservative politician and soldier Wenzel Faber (1455–1518), Bohemian astronomer, astrologer and theologian William F. Faber (bishop) (1860–1934), American Episcopalian bishop William F. Faber (politician) (1858–1951), American politician
Fictional characters: Faber, a former professor in Fahrenheit 451 Emil Faber, Founder of Faber College in the film Animal House Henry Faber, German spy in the Ken Follett novel Eye of the Needle Jacky Faber, female protagonist in the novel Bloody Jack and its sequels Mike Faber, character in Homeland (TV series) Daniel Aurifaber (Goldsmith), character in The Sanctuary Sparrow, a Cadfael novel by Ellis Peters