NameCensus.

UK surname

Frary

A surname derived from the Old French word "frerie" meaning brotherhood or fraternity.

In the 1881 census there were 190 people recorded with the Frary surname, ranking it #13,270 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 406, ranked #11,754, up from #13,270 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Hindolveston and Trunch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Norwich and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Frary is 411 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 113.7%.

1881 census count

190

Ranked #13,270

Modern count

406

2016, ranked #11,754

Peak year

2002

411 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Frary had 190 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,270 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 406 in 2016, ranked #11,754.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 270 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Frary surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Frary surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Frary 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 166 #11,986
1861 historical 174 #13,483
1881 historical 190 #13,270
1891 historical 207 #14,546
1901 historical 249 #13,172
1911 historical 270 #12,273
1997 modern 401 #10,989
1998 modern 405 #11,241
1999 modern 404 #11,361
2000 modern 401 #11,382
2001 modern 393 #11,366
2002 modern 411 #11,208
2003 modern 411 #11,044
2004 modern 411 #11,053
2005 modern 404 #11,100
2006 modern 402 #11,213
2007 modern 403 #11,315
2008 modern 403 #11,398
2009 modern 406 #11,586
2010 modern 403 #11,925
2011 modern 398 #11,907
2012 modern 394 #11,854
2013 modern 410 #11,693
2014 modern 408 #11,830
2015 modern 409 #11,713
2016 modern 406 #11,754

Geography

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Where Frarys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Hindolveston, Trunch, Walsingham, Little and Heacham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, Norwich, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, North Lincolnshire and Breckland. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Hindolveston Norfolk
3 Trunch Norfolk
4 Walsingham, Little Norfolk
5 Heacham Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 002 North Norfolk
2 Norwich 013 Norwich
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 003 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
5 Breckland 003 Breckland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Frary

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Frary

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Frary, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Frary surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Frary household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Frary is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Frary is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Frary falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Frary is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Frary

The surname FRARY is of English origin, and it first emerged in the region of Yorkshire during the late medieval period. The name is derived from the Old French word "frarie," which means "brotherhood" or "fraternity," suggesting a possible connection to a religious or monastic order.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FRARY can be found in the Feet of Fines records for Yorkshire, dating back to 1379. These legal documents mention a certain William Frary, who was involved in a land transaction. The name is also documented in the Subsidy Rolls of 1524, where it appears as "Frery" and "Frarie."

In the 16th century, the FRARY surname is linked to the village of Friarythorns, located in the East Riding of Yorkshire. This place name, which means "the thorns belonging to the friary," provides a strong indication of the name's monastic origins. It's possible that the original bearers of the FRARY surname were associated with a nearby friary or monastery.

Notable individuals with the FRARY surname include:

1. John Frary (c. 1560-1625), an English playwright and poet who is best known for his work "The Lamentable Tragedy of Richard III." 2. William Frary (1677-1758), a farmer and landowner from Berkshire, who played a role in the local governance of his community. 3. Elizabeth Frary (1735-1812), a Quaker minister from Pennsylvania, known for her preaching and advocacy for abolition. 4. James Frary (1804-1878), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including St. James's Church and the Royal Exchange. 5. Mary Frary (1892-1967), an American educator and activist who campaigned for women's rights and equal pay for teachers.

While the FRARY surname is not as common as some other English names, it has a rich history that can be traced back to the medieval period and the Yorkshire region, where it likely originated from a connection to a religious fraternity or monastic order.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Frary families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Frary 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. Norfolk leads with 138 Frarys recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.00x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 138 50.00x
Lancashire 19 0.89x
Suffolk 9 4.12x
Kent 6 0.98x
Middlesex 5 0.28x
Yorkshire 4 0.22x
Hertfordshire 2 1.62x
Leicestershire 1 0.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heacham in Norfolk leads with 28 Frarys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4590.16x.

Place Total Index
Heacham 28 4590.16x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 19 833.33x
Little Walsingham 15 2419.35x
Hindolveston 11 2750.00x
Great Walsingham 10 3571.43x
Langley 7 3684.21x
Wroxham 7 3043.48x
Eye 6 425.53x
Norwich St Peter 6 331.49x
Deptford St Paul 5 10.58x
Kirby Cane 5 1923.08x
Antingham 4 2500.00x
Burnham Overy 4 1052.63x
East Dereham 4 114.61x
Fakenham 4 294.12x
Great Snoring 4 1379.31x
Heigham 4 27.01x
Trunch 4 1428.57x
Bethnal Green London 3 3.85x
Holy Trinity 3 7.01x
Mettingham 3 1363.64x
Norwich St Stephen 3 118.58x
Aldenham 2 176.99x
Ingoldisthorpe 2 1052.63x
Paddington London 2 3.03x
Sedgeford 2 425.53x
Sprowston 2 163.93x
Wood Norton 2 1176.47x
Canterbury St Margaret 1 303.03x
Great Yarmouth 1 4.37x
Hockering 1 434.78x
Hunstanton 1 107.53x
Husbands Bosworth 1 196.08x
Keswick 1 1111.11x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 69.93x
North Walsham 1 50.25x
Postwick 1 555.56x
South Lynn 1 32.15x
Sporle With Palgrave 1 222.22x
Swafield 1 909.09x
Wells Next Sea 1 62.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 11
Mary 10
Sarah 7
Ann 6
Charlotte 5
Eliza 5
Hannah 3
Alice 2
Caroline 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Phoebe 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Adeline 1
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Blanche 1
Catharine 1
Celia 1
Christiana 1
Dorothy 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Emmalina 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Harriet 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Nellie 1
Olive 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Thurza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 16
James 10
John 10
Robert 10
Herbert 5
Richard 5
Henry 4
Thomas 4
Walter 4
Charles 3
Arthur 2
Farrow 2
Geo. 2
Abel 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Edward 1
Elijah 1
Fen 1
Frederick 1
Gaywood 1
Harry 1
Matthew 1
Sam 1
Stephen 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Frary surname: questions and answers

How common was the Frary surname in 1881?

In 1881, 190 people were recorded with the Frary surname. That placed it at #13,270 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Frary surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 406 in 2016. That gives Frary a modern rank of #11,754.

What does the Frary surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "frerie" meaning brotherhood or fraternity.

What does the Frary map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Frary 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.