NameCensus.

UK surname

Frear

An English surname derived from the Old French "frere", meaning "brother".

In the 1881 census there were 326 people recorded with the Frear surname, ranking it #9,167 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 356, ranked #12,978, down from #9,167 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bridgford, East, Lancaster Borough and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, East Cambridgeshire and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Frear is 416 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.2%.

1881 census count

326

Ranked #9,167

Modern count

356

2016, ranked #12,978

Peak year

1901

416 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Frear had 326 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,167 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 356 in 2016, ranked #12,978.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 416 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Frear surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Frear surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Frear 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 193 #10,704
1861 historical 214 #11,365
1881 historical 326 #9,167
1891 historical 323 #10,480
1901 historical 416 #9,220
1911 historical 387 #9,511
1997 modern 339 #12,464
1998 modern 354 #12,438
1999 modern 344 #12,776
2000 modern 352 #12,510
2001 modern 345 #12,504
2002 modern 347 #12,699
2003 modern 343 #12,607
2004 modern 340 #12,707
2005 modern 355 #12,243
2006 modern 350 #12,448
2007 modern 355 #12,458
2008 modern 358 #12,485
2009 modern 366 #12,534
2010 modern 363 #12,878
2011 modern 366 #12,667
2012 modern 365 #12,547
2013 modern 362 #12,843
2014 modern 368 #12,770
2015 modern 361 #12,857
2016 modern 356 #12,978

Geography

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Where Frears are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bridgford, East, Lancaster Borough, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary and Wakefield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, East Cambridgeshire, North Lincolnshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and Bradford. 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 Bridgford, East Nottinghamshire
2 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 005 Kirklees
2 East Cambridgeshire 002 East Cambridgeshire
3 North Lincolnshire 003 North Lincolnshire
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 011 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Bradford 022 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Frear

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Frear

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Frear 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

Frear is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Frear

The surname Frear is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "freo" meaning "free" or "free-born." It first emerged in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire in the north of England during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Frear can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where a John Frere is listed. This spelling variation suggests that the name was originally pronounced with a longer vowel sound.

In the 16th century, the Frear surname appears in historical records from the village of Eccleshill, near Bradford in West Yorkshire. A notable bearer of the name was John Frear, a yeoman farmer who was born in Eccleshill around 1550 and owned land in the area.

The Frear surname is also associated with the town of Skipton in the Yorkshire Dales. In the 17th century, a family of Frears owned a farm in the nearby village of Carleton, and their descendants continued to live in the area for several generations.

One of the most prominent individuals with the surname Frear was Sir Thomas Frear (1588-1670), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire. He served as Lord Mayor of York in 1655 and was knighted by King Charles II in recognition of his support during the English Civil War.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Frear (1742-1827), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Bradford, Yorkshire. He made his fortune in the textile industry and was a significant benefactor to several local charities and institutions.

In the 19th century, the Frear surname spread beyond its Yorkshire roots as families migrated to other parts of England and abroad. One example is John Frear (1808-1871), a chemist and inventor from Nottinghamshire who developed an early form of photographic film.

While the Frear surname is relatively uncommon, it has a long and distinguished history in various parts of England, particularly in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period, and it has been borne by notable individuals in fields such as business, politics, and science over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Frear families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Frear 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. Yorkshire leads with 145 Frears recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.67x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 145 4.67x
Lancashire 38 1.02x
Westmorland 22 31.97x
Nottinghamshire 19 4.50x
Middlesex 15 0.48x
Leicestershire 12 3.46x
Durham 11 1.18x
Lincolnshire 10 2.00x
Cambridgeshire 9 4.54x
Warwickshire 6 0.76x
Derbyshire 5 1.02x
Cumberland 4 1.48x
Lanarkshire 4 0.40x
Sussex 4 0.76x
Glamorgan 3 0.55x
Kent 3 0.28x
Selkirkshire 3 10.59x
Devon 2 0.31x
Northamptonshire 2 0.68x
Surrey 2 0.13x
Monmouthshire 1 0.44x
Worcestershire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shipley in Yorkshire leads with 34 Frears recorded in 1881 and an index of 211.18x.

Place Total Index
Shipley 34 211.18x
Wakefield 13 54.58x
Nottingham St Mary 12 10.99x
Orton 10 485.44x
Stainton 10 2380.95x
Holy Trinity 8 10.72x
Nunburnholme 8 2962.96x
Whittlesford 8 879.12x
Bishop Burton 7 1428.57x
Drypool 7 147.37x
Fridaythorpe 7 2058.82x
Hornsey 7 17.68x
Kimberworth 7 40.65x
Old Malton 7 358.97x
Aston 6 2.76x
Islington London 6 1.98x
Stathern 6 1034.48x
Altofts 5 146.20x
Brandon Byshottles 5 42.84x
East Bridgford 5 520.83x
Escrick 5 793.65x
Great Little Marsden 5 29.38x
Hawkshead Monk Coniston 5 387.60x
Hulme 5 6.45x
Knottingley 5 91.74x
Stockton On Tees 5 11.14x
Burrow With Burrow 4 1739.13x
Govan 4 1.60x
Horsted Keynes 4 325.20x
Newington 4 46.84x
Sculcoates 4 8.13x
Caton 3 258.62x
Derby St Werburgh 3 10.60x
Galashiels 3 28.65x
Grasby 3 681.82x
Llandaff 3 16.54x
South Cave 3 291.26x
Stretford 3 14.68x
York St Mary 3 23.35x
Alfreton 2 13.43x
Barmby On Marsh 2 606.06x
Belgrave 2 25.54x
Bexley 2 21.19x
Bingley 2 10.12x
Bolton Le Sands 2 238.10x
Droylsden 2 16.50x
Ecclesfield 2 8.79x
Great Grimsby 2 6.29x
Heslington St Lawrence 2 740.74x
Lancaster 2 9.05x
Manningham 2 5.23x
Owmby 2 689.66x
Preston 2 2.01x
Preston Quarter 2 26.49x
Wadenhoe 2 800.00x
Barrowford Booth 1 24.33x
Basford 1 5.14x
Caistor 1 50.25x
Caldicot 1 66.67x
Carnforth 1 49.02x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.58x
Garthorpe 1 166.67x
Gotham 1 90.91x
Hook 1 14.64x
Hunslet 1 2.07x
Ince In Makerfield 1 5.78x
Kensington London 1 0.57x
Lamplugh 1 74.07x
Layton With Warbreck 1 7.34x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.18x
Market Harborough 1 63.69x
Paddington London 1 0.87x
Redditch 1 12.06x
Sutton St Mary 1 21.14x
Thorp Arch 1 238.10x
Tormoham 1 3.63x
West Derby 1 0.92x
Wilsden 1 31.35x
Woolwich 1 2.53x
York St Lawrence 1 30.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 19
Sarah 13
Ann 9
Alice 7
Eliza 7
Jane 7
Ada 4
Annie 4
Hannah 4
Margaret 4
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Martha 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Carlina 1
Caroline 1
Celia 1
Chalette 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Daisy 1
Emeline 1
Esabella 1
Esther 1
Fanney 1
Floranbe 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Isabel 1
Louis 1
Louisa 1
Lucinda 1
Margt. 1
May 1
Nancy 1
Nanny 1
No 1
Rachel 1
Rebbecca 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 23
William 20
Thomas 18
James 14
George 13
Edward 10
Marmaduke 6
Arthur 5
Robert 5
Alfred 4
Albert 3
Henry 3
Thos. 3
Benjamin 2
Edwin 2
Walter 2
Charles 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Garland 1
Geo. 1
Gibson 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Jabez 1
Jim 1
Joseph 1
Laurence 1
Nicolas 1
Oldfield 1
Paul 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Frear surname: questions and answers

How common was the Frear surname in 1881?

In 1881, 326 people were recorded with the Frear surname. That placed it at #9,167 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Frear surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 356 in 2016. That gives Frear a modern rank of #12,978.

What does the Frear surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old French "frere", meaning "brother".

What does the Frear map show?

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