NameCensus.

UK surname

Fraser

A Scottish surname derived from the French word "fraisier," meaning strawberry, likely referring to someone who grew or sold strawberries.

In the 1881 census there were 26,732 people recorded with the Fraser surname, ranking it #121 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 32,297, ranked #164, down from #121 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Inverness West Rural, Loch Ness and Black Isle North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fraser is 32,297 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.8%.

1881 census count

26,732

Ranked #121

Modern count

32,297

2016, ranked #164

Peak year

2016

32,297 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fraser had 26,732 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #121 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 32,297 in 2016, ranked #164.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 31,051 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Fraser surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fraser surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fraser 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 20,626 #103
1861 historical 20,770 #100
1881 historical 26,732 #121
1891 historical 28,296 #119
1901 historical 31,051 #132
1911 historical 7,968 #637
1997 modern 29,777 #178
1998 modern 30,894 #177
1999 modern 31,153 #178
2000 modern 31,162 #176
2001 modern 30,205 #178
2002 modern 30,835 #178
2003 modern 30,176 #177
2004 modern 30,278 #175
2005 modern 30,355 #172
2006 modern 30,401 #170
2007 modern 30,641 #169
2008 modern 30,784 #169
2009 modern 31,516 #169
2010 modern 32,220 #168
2011 modern 31,777 #169
2012 modern 31,166 #168
2013 modern 31,861 #168
2014 modern 32,178 #168
2015 modern 32,121 #166
2016 modern 32,297 #164

Geography

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Where Frasers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Aberdeen and Old Machar and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Inverness West Rural, Loch Ness, Black Isle North, Muir of Ord and Inverness East Rural. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Inverness West Rural Highland
2 Loch Ness Highland
3 Black Isle North Highland
4 Muir of Ord Highland
5 Inverness East Rural Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fraser

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fraser

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fraser, 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 Fraser surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Fraser 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Fraser is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fraser 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

Fraser falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fraser 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 Fraser, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fraser

The surname Fraser is of Scottish origin, and is derived from the French word "frais", meaning fresh or strawberry. It is believed to have been introduced to Scotland during the Norman conquest in the 11th century.

The name is thought to have originated in the district of Tweeddale in the Scottish Borders, where the family held lands near the village of Fraser. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was "Fresseau" in 1153.

One of the earliest written references to the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Several Frasers are listed, including Simon Fraser, who was Lord of Tweeddale and Neidpath.

In the 14th century, Sir Simon Fraser (c.1257-1330) was a Scottish warrior who fought alongside William Wallace and Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He was captured and executed by the English in 1306.

Another notable Fraser was Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth (1537-1623), who was Lord Chamberlain of Scotland and a prominent member of the Scottish nobility during the reign of King James VI.

In the 18th century, Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat (1667-1747), was a Scottish Jacobite who fought in the Jacobite Rising of 1745. He was later captured and executed for treason against the British crown.

Other notable Frasers include James Baillie Fraser (1783-1856), a Scottish traveler and author who wrote extensively about his travels in Asia, and Brendan Fraser (born 1968), the Canadian-American actor best known for his roles in films such as The Mummy and George of the Jungle.

The surname Fraser has been prominent in Scotland for centuries, and has been borne by many influential figures in Scottish history, from warriors and nobles to writers and actors.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fraser families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fraser 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. Inverness-shire leads with 5,097 Frasers recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.63x.

County Total Index
Inverness-shire 5,097 65.63x
Lanarkshire 2,754 3.27x
Aberdeenshire 2,519 10.46x
Ross-shire 2,150 30.11x
Midlothian 2,004 5.75x
Morayshire 1,117 27.64x
Middlesex 1,002 0.39x
Angus 994 4.13x
Perthshire 747 6.40x
Lancashire 670 0.22x
Banffshire 513 9.51x
Surrey 482 0.38x
Nairnshire 469 59.08x
Renfrewshire 444 2.20x
Shetland 407 15.32x
Sutherland 377 18.85x
Fife 335 2.18x
Kent 323 0.36x
Durham 296 0.38x
Argyllshire 264 3.65x
Yorkshire 241 0.09x
Ayrshire 223 1.15x
Northumberland 222 0.57x
Stirlingshire 222 2.31x
Clackmannanshire 185 8.61x
Caithness 176 4.94x
Dunbartonshire 154 2.20x
Kincardineshire 135 4.26x
East Lothian 132 3.83x
Sussex 120 0.27x
West Lothian 119 3.04x
Hampshire 113 0.21x
Cheshire 109 0.19x
Dumfriesshire 107 1.86x
Essex 104 0.20x
Kirkcudbrightshire 83 2.20x
Warwickshire 78 0.12x
Wigtownshire 74 2.14x
Roxburghshire 69 1.46x
Suffolk 66 0.21x
Staffordshire 60 0.07x
Devon 59 0.11x
Cumberland 57 0.25x
Berkshire 55 0.28x
Berwickshire 55 1.75x
Orkney 48 1.68x
Peeblesshire 43 3.52x
Gloucestershire 42 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 40 0.11x
Glamorgan 31 0.07x
Hertfordshire 30 0.17x
Denbighshire 29 0.30x
Buteshire 26 1.65x
Derbyshire 26 0.06x
Lincolnshire 25 0.06x
Norfolk 25 0.06x
Royal Navy 25 0.81x
Buckinghamshire 24 0.15x
Selkirkshire 22 0.94x
Bedfordshire 21 0.16x
Somerset 21 0.05x
Channel Islands 19 0.25x
Caernarfonshire 18 0.17x
Leicestershire 18 0.06x
Shropshire 18 0.08x
Kinross-shire 17 2.59x
Pembrokeshire 16 0.19x
Worcestershire 14 0.04x
Anglesey 13 0.28x
Monmouthshire 11 0.06x
Dorset 8 0.05x
Brecknockshire 7 0.13x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.04x
Herefordshire 6 0.06x
Northamptonshire 5 0.02x
Oxfordshire 5 0.03x
Wiltshire 5 0.02x
Cornwall 4 0.01x
Merionethshire 3 0.06x
Westmorland 2 0.04x
Flintshire 1 0.01x
Isle of Man 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Inverness in Inverness-shire leads with 2,247 Frasers recorded in 1881 and an index of 115.03x.

Place Total Index
Inverness 2,247 115.03x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 931 6.64x
Govan 901 4.33x
Barony 787 3.70x
Aberdeen Old Machar 585 11.63x
Kiltarlity 585 307.09x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 564 12.52x
Glasgow 512 3.43x
Dundee 398 4.43x
Kirkhill 341 258.65x
Kilmorack 339 143.98x
Urquhart Glenmoriston 251 114.29x
Nairn 245 50.86x
South Leith 244 6.22x
Elgin 185 23.54x
Boleskine Abertarff 179 138.96x
Cromdale 178 54.75x
Dores 176 169.70x
Forres 174 40.97x
Tain 165 60.99x
Liff Benvie 158 4.32x
Rosskeen 146 43.44x
Gairloch 141 34.25x
Urray 141 63.59x
Croy Dalcross 137 89.16x
Alloa 131 12.58x
Lambeth 129 0.57x
Daviot Dunlichity 123 110.10x
Lochbroom 119 31.92x
Petty 119 87.31x
Dornoch 108 47.93x
Logie Wester 106 82.63x
Fodderty 105 58.13x
Walls 105 81.52x
Dingwall 103 51.27x
Knockbain 103 61.64x
Auldearn 99 85.35x
Kensington London 92 0.64x
Peterhead 92 7.22x
Tarbat 92 54.51x
Perth East Church 90 8.18x
Cromarty 87 45.52x
Keith 86 14.96x
Resolis 86 67.47x
Liverpool 84 0.45x
Sandsting Aitsting 84 34.90x
St Marylebone London 84 0.61x
Falkirk 82 3.65x
Huntly 82 20.93x
Fearn 81 42.58x
Paddington London 80 0.84x
Brechin 76 8.03x
West Greenock 74 2.05x
Cawdor 73 75.58x
Duffus 73 20.50x
Edinburgh St Georges 73 10.10x
Fraserburgh 73 10.77x
Urquhart 72 74.14x
Alness 71 76.91x
Prestonpans 71 30.74x
West Derby 71 0.79x
Abernethy Kincardine 69 50.37x
Moy Dalarossie 69 94.42x
Cambusnethan 67 3.59x
Edinburgh Canongate 67 7.56x
Everton 67 0.68x
Islington London 66 0.26x
Dunfermline 65 2.75x
Camberwell 63 0.38x
Duthil 63 42.50x
St Pancras London 63 0.30x
Abbey 62 2.02x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 62 1.85x
Dyke 61 55.13x
North Leith 61 3.78x
Forfar 60 4.60x
Killearnan 60 63.65x
Montrose 59 4.04x
Toxteth Park 59 0.56x
Kildonan 58 33.50x
New Spynie 58 39.87x
Edinburgh St Marys 57 8.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 242
Margaret 142
Elizabeth 141
Jane 124
Sarah 94
Annie 80
Ellen 63
Catherine 62
Ann 60
Eliza 59
Isabella 59
Jessie 53
Emily 41
Alice 39
Charlotte 34
Emma 34
Florence 34
Agnes 32
Hannah 31
Kate 28
Maria 27
Frances 26
Helen 26
Louisa 24
Caroline 21
Edith 19
Eleanor 19
Martha 18
Ada 16
Grace 16
Harriet 16
Fanny 15
Janet 15
Esther 14
Clara 13
Rose 13
Lucy 12
Anne 11
Elizth. 11
Rachel 11
Gertrude 10
Jemima 10
Rebecca 10
Christina 9
Sophia 9
Amelia 8
Amy 8
Ethel 8
Isabel 8
Matilda 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 286
William 268
James 206
Alexander 130
George 123
Thomas 110
Robert 102
Charles 73
Henry 62
Donald 52
David 39
Hugh 38
Arthur 36
Alfred 31
Frederick 29
Joseph 25
Andrew 24
Peter 22
Simon 22
Edward 20
Walter 18
Ernest 17
Richard 17
Roderick 17
Herbert 15
Albert 14
Daniel 13
Francis 12
Samuel 12
Harry 11
Duncan 10
Frank 10
Wm. 9
Archibald 8
Alex 7
Edwin 7
Alexr. 6
Kenneth 6
Malcolm 6
Douglas 5
Fredk. 5
Geo. 5
Robt. 5
Angus 4
Chas. 4
Fred 4
Adam 3
Allan 3
Matthew 3
Percy 3

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Fraser households.

FAQ

Fraser surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fraser surname in 1881?

In 1881, 26,732 people were recorded with the Fraser surname. That placed it at #121 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fraser surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 32,297 in 2016. That gives Fraser a modern rank of #164.

What does the Fraser surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the French word "fraisier," meaning strawberry, likely referring to someone who grew or sold strawberries.

What does the Fraser map show?

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