NameCensus.

UK surname

Frazer

Derived from the French word "fraisier," referring to someone who grew or sold strawberries.

In the 1881 census there were 2,316 people recorded with the Frazer surname, ranking it #1,922 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,555, ranked #2,590, down from #1,922 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Anglesey, Uttlesford and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Frazer is 2,597 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.3%.

1881 census count

2,316

Ranked #1,922

Modern count

2,555

2016, ranked #2,590

Peak year

2010

2,597 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Frazer had 2,316 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,922 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,555 in 2016, ranked #2,590.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,442 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Frazer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Frazer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Frazer 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 1,993 #1,452
1861 historical 1,618 #1,760
1881 historical 2,316 #1,922
1891 historical 2,018 #2,285
1901 historical 2,442 #2,228
1911 historical 1,540 #3,150
1997 modern 2,336 #2,671
1998 modern 2,400 #2,703
1999 modern 2,419 #2,708
2000 modern 2,392 #2,717
2001 modern 2,341 #2,718
2002 modern 2,361 #2,743
2003 modern 2,308 #2,749
2004 modern 2,297 #2,752
2005 modern 2,276 #2,746
2006 modern 2,350 #2,678
2007 modern 2,359 #2,693
2008 modern 2,399 #2,671
2009 modern 2,481 #2,665
2010 modern 2,597 #2,611
2011 modern 2,567 #2,608
2012 modern 2,486 #2,635
2013 modern 2,565 #2,609
2014 modern 2,595 #2,590
2015 modern 2,582 #2,575
2016 modern 2,555 #2,590

Geography

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Where Frazers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Anglesey, Uttlesford, Northumberland, Allerdale and Badenoch and Strathspey South. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Anglesey 009 Isle of Anglesey
2 Uttlesford 002 Uttlesford
3 Northumberland 038 Northumberland
4 Allerdale 005 Allerdale
5 Badenoch and Strathspey South Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Frazer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Frazer

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

Frazer is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Frazer 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 Frazer 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 Frazer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Frazer

The surname Frazer originated in Scotland and is derived from the old French word "frasier" meaning "strawberry plant". It is believed that this name was initially given as a nickname to someone who lived near a strawberry patch or who cultivated strawberries.

The name first appeared in written records in the 12th century, with references to individuals bearing the name in the Scottish Lowlands. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of William Frasere, who was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document containing the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

During the Middle Ages, the name was also found in various spellings such as Frasour, Fraysser, and Frizeaux, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. The name is closely associated with the Scottish clan Fraser, which traces its roots to the Normandy region of France and the arrival of a Norman knight named Pierre Fraser in Scotland in the 12th century.

Notable historical figures with the surname Frazer include Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat (1667-1747), a Scottish nobleman who played a prominent role in the Jacobite risings of the 18th century. Another significant individual was James Frazer (1854-1941), a Scottish social anthropologist and author of the influential work "The Golden Bough".

In the United States, the name is also associated with Charles Frazer (1788-1849), a Philadelphia-based chemist and mineralogist who made significant contributions to the study of minerals and the development of analytical techniques. John Frazer (1812-1872), an American naval officer, gained recognition for his service during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.

The surname Frazer has also been linked to various place names, such as Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which was named after the Fraser family who once held lands in the area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Frazer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Frazer 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 281 Frazers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.17x.

County Total Index
Durham 281 4.17x
Lanarkshire 223 3.05x
Middlesex 209 0.92x
Northumberland 199 5.91x
Lancashire 183 0.68x
Surrey 120 1.09x
Yorkshire 107 0.48x
Ayrshire 79 4.66x
Cumberland 75 3.85x
Kent 70 0.91x
Midlothian 48 1.58x
Perthshire 48 4.73x
Glamorgan 44 1.12x
Angus 43 2.05x
Hampshire 38 0.82x
Warwickshire 38 0.67x
Dumfriesshire 30 6.00x
Cheshire 28 0.56x
Dunbartonshire 25 4.11x
Worcestershire 24 0.81x
Renfrewshire 23 1.31x
Roxburghshire 23 5.61x
Argyllshire 22 3.49x
Bedfordshire 20 1.71x
Monmouthshire 18 1.10x
Gloucestershire 17 0.38x
Aberdeenshire 15 0.72x
Fife 15 1.12x
Stirlingshire 15 1.80x
Caithness 14 4.52x
Selkirkshire 14 6.84x
Lincolnshire 13 0.36x
Norfolk 13 0.37x
Wigtownshire 13 4.33x
Derbyshire 12 0.34x
Devon 11 0.23x
Leicestershire 11 0.44x
Sussex 11 0.29x
Inverness-shire 10 1.48x
Berkshire 9 0.53x
Cornwall 9 0.35x
Kirkcudbrightshire 9 2.75x
Pembrokeshire 8 1.11x
Royal Navy 8 2.97x
Caernarfonshire 7 0.77x
Clackmannanshire 6 3.21x
Kincardineshire 6 2.18x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.35x
Hertfordshire 5 0.32x
Ross-shire 5 0.80x
Banffshire 4 0.85x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.13x
Orkney 4 1.61x
Anglesey 3 0.75x
Buteshire 3 2.19x
Channel Islands 3 0.45x
Northamptonshire 3 0.14x
Staffordshire 3 0.04x
East Lothian 2 0.67x
Essex 2 0.04x
Herefordshire 2 0.22x
Oxfordshire 2 0.14x
Sutherland 2 1.15x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.07x
Dorset 1 0.07x
Kinross-shire 1 1.75x
Somerset 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 60 Frazers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.31x.

Place Total Index
Govan 60 3.31x
Barony 58 3.13x
Westoe 57 14.93x
Gateshead 37 7.34x
Prudhoe 34 145.11x
Liverpool 33 2.02x
St Pancras London 29 1.59x
Glasgow 23 1.77x
Bedlington 21 18.68x
Camberwell 21 1.45x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 21 1.72x
Aston 20 1.27x
Bishopwearmouth 20 3.46x
Byker 20 12.01x
Elswick 20 7.44x
Workington 20 17.93x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 19 6.52x
Kinnoull 19 71.16x
Lambeth 19 0.96x
Lamesley 18 49.67x
Bonhill 16 16.39x
Kelso 16 39.17x
Pendleton In Salford 16 5.00x
Salford 15 1.90x
Whickham 15 24.21x
Kidderminster Borough 14 8.09x
Newcastle On Tyne St 14 8.02x
Birkenhead 13 3.26x
Dundee 13 1.66x
Hamilton 13 6.37x
Kilmarnock 13 6.45x
Liff Benvie 13 4.08x
St Giles 13 30.93x
Toxteth Park 13 1.43x
Battersea 12 1.44x
Birmingham 12 0.63x
Flimby 12 72.90x
Folkestone 12 8.01x
Paddington London 12 1.44x
St George Hanover Square 12 3.01x
Bedford St Peter 11 36.14x
Bermondsey 11 1.63x
Bothwell 11 5.54x
Clerkenwell London 11 2.06x
Closeburn 11 94.34x
Heworth 11 8.29x
Kilmore Kilbride 11 27.51x
Poplar London 11 2.58x
St Luke London 11 3.03x
St Marylebone London 11 0.91x
Aldershot 10 6.44x
Caldewgate 10 9.37x
Dalmellington 10 20.08x
Hutton Henry 10 70.52x
Islington London 10 0.46x
Leeds 10 0.79x
Mile End Old Town London 10 2.08x
Minster In Sheppey 10 7.82x
North Shields 10 14.88x
Perth Middle Church 10 26.18x
Preston Quarter 10 18.32x
Shotts 10 11.42x
Southwark St John 10 14.45x
Tynemouth 10 5.55x
Wallsend 10 9.36x
Derby St Peter 9 7.97x
Eston 9 18.43x
Forfar 9 7.93x
Hunslet 9 2.57x
Melrose 9 17.47x
Morton 9 54.25x
Neath 9 11.22x
Newington 9 1.08x
Seaton Delaval 9 30.44x
Stranton 9 3.97x
Tanfield 9 11.24x
Tunstall 9 26.85x
West Derby 9 1.15x
Woolwich 9 3.15x
Worting 9 697.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 116
Elizabeth 76
Margaret 53
Sarah 51
Jane 37
Ann 29
Annie 27
Isabella 27
Eliza 21
Ellen 18
Emma 17
Catherine 16
Hannah 13
Martha 13
Alice 12
Emily 11
Frances 9
Maria 9
Agnes 8
Caroline 8
Harriet 8
Kate 8
Charlotte 7
Louisa 7
Anne 6
Edith 6
Janet 6
Jessie 6
Rose 6
Florence 5
Helen 5
Ruth 5
Ada 4
Bridget 4
Esther 4
Matilda 4
Susannah 4
Barbara 3
Bessie 3
Cathrine 3
Dorothy 3
Elizh. 3
Elizth. 3
Isabel 3
Maggie 3
Susan 3
Catharine 2
Katy 2
Lillie 2
Lizzie 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 118
William 90
James 61
Thomas 46
George 36
Joseph 30
Alexander 27
Robert 27
Charles 18
Henry 18
David 15
Donald 14
Arthur 13
Hugh 10
Alfred 9
Richard 9
Frederick 8
Walter 8
Edward 7
Francis 7
Nicholas 7
Wm. 7
Anthony 6
Edwin 6
Albert 5
Andrew 5
Daniel 5
Ernest 5
Patrick 5
Samuel 5
Archibald 4
Frank 4
Geo. 4
Peter 4
A. 3
Alexr. 3
Fredrick 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Jacob 3
Matthew 3
Michael 3
Morris 3
Philip 3
Robt. 3
Alexandra 2
Benjamin 2
Fredk. 2
Norman 2
Ralph 2

FAQ

Frazer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Frazer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,316 people were recorded with the Frazer surname. That placed it at #1,922 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Frazer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,555 in 2016. That gives Frazer a modern rank of #2,590.

What does the Frazer surname mean?

Derived from the French word "fraisier," referring to someone who grew or sold strawberries.

What does the Frazer map show?

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