NameCensus.

UK surname

Frail

An English surname referring to a weak or fragile person.

In the 1881 census there were 159 people recorded with the Frail surname, ranking it #14,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 166, ranked #22,140, down from #14,935 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Burslem, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kennoway and Bonnybank, Stockton-on-Tees and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Frail is 170 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.4%.

1881 census count

159

Ranked #14,935

Modern count

166

2016, ranked #22,140

Peak year

2013

170 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Frail had 159 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,935 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 166 in 2016, ranked #22,140.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 159 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Frail surname distribution map

The map shows where the Frail surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Frail surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Frail over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 106 #16,512
1861 historical 132 #16,957
1881 historical 159 #14,935
1891 historical 140 #19,193
1901 historical 140 #18,795
1911 historical 71 #25,742
1997 modern 146 #21,494
1998 modern 154 #21,316
1999 modern 156 #21,290
2000 modern 150 #21,781
2001 modern 141 #22,344
2002 modern 153 #21,609
2003 modern 153 #21,406
2004 modern 152 #21,628
2005 modern 146 #22,146
2006 modern 146 #22,320
2007 modern 140 #23,231
2008 modern 146 #22,822
2009 modern 158 #22,168
2010 modern 158 #22,692
2011 modern 157 #22,574
2012 modern 168 #21,516
2013 modern 170 #21,726
2014 modern 169 #22,006
2015 modern 166 #22,159
2016 modern 166 #22,140

Geography

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Where Frails are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Burslem, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kennoway and Bonnybank, Stockton-on-Tees, Blackburn with Darwen and Downfield. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Burslem Staffordshire
2 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kennoway and Bonnybank Fife
2 Stockton-on-Tees 009 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Stockton-on-Tees 003 Stockton-on-Tees
4 Blackburn with Darwen 001 Blackburn with Darwen
5 Downfield Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Frail

These lists show first names that appear often with the Frail surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Frail

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Frail, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Frail surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Frail household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Frail is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Frail is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Frail falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Frail is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Frail, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Frail

The surname FRAIL has its origins in medieval France, tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "frele," meaning "fragile" or "delicate." This term originally described a person of a slight or slender build, or perhaps someone of a gentle or mild disposition.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the FRAIL surname can be found in the Livre des Métiers, a historical document from Paris dating back to the late 13th century. This text lists the names and occupations of various Parisian residents, including several individuals with the surname FRAIL.

During the Middle Ages, the FRAIL name was particularly prevalent in the region of Normandy, where it is believed to have originated. The name appears in several early Norman records and charters from the 11th and 12th centuries.

In the 14th century, the FRAIL surname made its way across the English Channel and began to establish roots in England. One notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Frail, a knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War and was mentioned in the Chronicles of Froissart, a historical work from the late 14th century.

Another prominent figure bearing the FRAIL surname was William Frail, a 15th-century English scholar and author who wrote several treatises on theology and philosophy. He was born in Oxfordshire in 1412 and died in 1478.

During the Renaissance period, the FRAIL name continued to spread throughout Europe. In the 16th century, a Dutch painter named Pieter Frail gained recognition for his intricate still-life paintings featuring delicate arrangements of flowers and other objects.

In the 17th century, the FRAIL surname appeared in various records and documents across different regions of France, including the regions of Burgundy, Brittany, and Languedoc.

One notable bearer of the FRAIL name in the 18th century was Marie-Jeanne Frail, a French philosopher and writer who was born in Lyon in 1723. Her works explored themes of morality, education, and the role of women in society.

As the centuries progressed, the FRAIL surname continued to be found in various parts of Europe and beyond, carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Frail families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Frail surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Durham leads with 22 Frails recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.74x.

County Total Index
Durham 22 4.74x
Lancashire 21 1.13x
Lanarkshire 18 3.57x
Middlesex 17 1.09x
Hampshire 12 3.75x
Surrey 12 1.58x
Staffordshire 11 2.09x
Midlothian 7 3.35x
Yorkshire 7 0.45x
Ayrshire 6 5.14x
Derbyshire 4 1.64x
Northamptonshire 4 2.73x
Renfrewshire 4 3.31x
Angus 2 1.38x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.95x
Stirlingshire 2 3.47x
Worcestershire 2 0.98x
Argyllshire 1 2.30x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.06x
Devon 1 0.31x
Dumfriesshire 1 2.90x
Dunbartonshire 1 2.38x
Royal Navy 1 5.38x
Shropshire 1 0.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Burslem in Staffordshire leads with 11 Frails recorded in 1881 and an index of 72.90x.

Place Total Index
Burslem 11 72.90x
Liverpool 11 9.78x
Portsea 11 17.55x
Gateshead 8 23.02x
Washington 7 358.97x
Battersea 6 10.45x
Cambuslang 6 117.88x
Kilwinning 6 159.15x
Old Monkland 6 29.96x
St George Hanover Square 6 21.82x
Corstorphine 5 434.78x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 55.19x
Alfreton 4 53.91x
Bradford 4 10.68x
Cathcart 4 61.16x
Hulme 4 10.35x
Yardley Hastings 4 634.92x
Camberwell 3 3.01x
Govan 3 2.40x
St Luke London 3 11.99x
Wakefield 3 25.27x
Bethnal Green London 2 2.95x
Bishopwearmouth 2 5.02x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 13.60x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 2.38x
Hackney London 2 2.29x
Hornsey 2 10.14x
Islington London 2 1.32x
Kilsyth 2 54.50x
Merton 2 150.38x
Nottingham St Mary 2 3.68x
Radcliffe 2 22.40x
Barony 1 0.78x
Canonbie 1 68.49x
Cardross 1 19.84x
Devonport 1 26.81x
Everton 1 1.69x
Glasgow 1 1.12x
Jura 1 238.10x
Kings Norton 1 5.47x
Kingston On Thames 1 5.47x
Liff Benvie 1 4.56x
Logie Pert 1 188.68x
New Monkland 1 6.70x
Olney 1 76.92x
Portsmouth 1 13.57x
Royal Navy 1 6.29x
Shrewsbury St Chad 1 21.14x
Standish With Langtree 1 43.86x
Yardley 1 19.19x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Frail surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 13
Hannah 4
Margaret 4
Sarah 4
Ann 3
Catherine 3
Elizabeth 3
Emma 3
Eleanor 2
Ellen 2
Jane 2
Winifred 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
An. 1
Bridget 1
Bridgett 1
Charlotte 1
Dora 1
H.J. 1
Hanah 1
Henrietta 1
Letitia 1
Mable 1
Rosannah 1
Rose 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Frail surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
James 12
John 10
Charles 5
Thomas 5
Martin 4
George 3
Arthur 2
Henry 2
Michael 2
William 2
Andrew 1
Cecil 1
Conn 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Joseph 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
W.R. 1

FAQ

Frail surname: questions and answers

How common was the Frail surname in 1881?

In 1881, 159 people were recorded with the Frail surname. That placed it at #14,935 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Frail surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 166 in 2016. That gives Frail a modern rank of #22,140.

What does the Frail surname mean?

An English surname referring to a weak or fragile person.

What does the Frail map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Frail bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.