NameCensus.

UK surname

Frearson

A surname derived from an Old English personal name, possibly meaning "brave" or "courageous" person.

In the 1881 census there were 389 people recorded with the Frearson surname, ranking it #8,122 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 634, ranked #8,340, down from #8,122 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ibstock, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leicester, North West Leicestershire and Harborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Frearson is 713 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.0%.

1881 census count

389

Ranked #8,122

Modern count

634

2016, ranked #8,340

Peak year

1911

713 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Frearson had 389 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,122 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 634 in 2016, ranked #8,340.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 713 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Frearson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Frearson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Frearson 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 218 #9,754
1861 historical 307 #8,262
1881 historical 389 #8,122
1891 historical 512 #7,283
1901 historical 626 #6,839
1911 historical 713 #5,983
1997 modern 634 #7,817
1998 modern 678 #7,665
1999 modern 679 #7,694
2000 modern 666 #7,788
2001 modern 653 #7,772
2002 modern 680 #7,690
2003 modern 697 #7,403
2004 modern 677 #7,607
2005 modern 654 #7,734
2006 modern 635 #7,950
2007 modern 642 #7,940
2008 modern 633 #8,071
2009 modern 625 #8,328
2010 modern 658 #8,165
2011 modern 650 #8,155
2012 modern 634 #8,229
2013 modern 653 #8,196
2014 modern 663 #8,125
2015 modern 641 #8,287
2016 modern 634 #8,340

Geography

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Where Frearsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ibstock, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Werburgh, Chorley and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leicester, North West Leicestershire, Harborough, Pembrokeshire and Hinckley and Bosworth. 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 Ibstock Leicestershire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Chorley Lancashire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leicester 035 Leicester
2 North West Leicestershire 011 North West Leicestershire
3 Harborough 011 Harborough
4 Pembrokeshire 007 Pembrokeshire
5 Hinckley and Bosworth 003 Hinckley and Bosworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Frearson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Frearson

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Frearson is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Frearson 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

Frearson falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Frearson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Frearson

The surname Frearson is of English origin, originating in the county of Yorkshire during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "frere," meaning friar or brother, and "sunu," meaning son. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to the son of a friar or someone associated with a monastic order.

Historically, the name Frearson can be traced back to the 13th century, with records indicating its presence in various parts of Yorkshire. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, where a Robert Frearson is mentioned as a taxpayer.

In the 15th century, the Frearson name is found in the Feet of Fines, a collection of legal documents related to land transfers, for the county of Yorkshire. This suggests that members of the Frearson family held significant land holdings in the region during this time.

Notable individuals bearing the Frearson surname include:

1. William Frearson (c. 1520 - 1589), an English churchman who served as the Archdeacon of Derby and Rector of Muston in Leicestershire.

2. John Frearson (c. 1650 - 1718), a prominent English mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of logarithms and the calculation of planetary orbits.

3. Elizabeth Frearson (1680 - 1765), a wealthy landowner and philanthropist from the village of Dore in Yorkshire, known for her charitable contributions to the local community.

4. Thomas Frearson (1789 - 1857), a Yorkshire-born entrepreneur and industrialist who established a successful textile manufacturing business in the city of Leeds.

5. Henry Frearson (1820 - 1895), a British artist and painter renowned for his landscape and seascape paintings, many of which depicted scenes from his native Yorkshire.

The Frearson name has also been linked to various place names in Yorkshire, such as Frearson Farm and Frearson Moor, further indicating the family's historical ties to the region.

While the Frearson surname may not be as widespread as some other English surnames, its origins and history are deeply rooted in the county of Yorkshire, with records spanning several centuries and notable individuals contributing to various fields, including religion, science, business, and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Frearson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Frearson 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. Leicestershire leads with 123 Frearsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.39x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 123 29.39x
Derbyshire 94 15.91x
Lancashire 69 1.54x
Nottinghamshire 38 7.47x
Warwickshire 16 1.68x
Yorkshire 13 0.35x
Hampshire 12 1.55x
Lincolnshire 9 1.49x
Middlesex 8 0.21x
Staffordshire 2 0.16x
Cumberland 1 0.31x
Royal Navy 1 2.22x
Westmorland 1 1.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 42 Frearsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.15x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 42 41.15x
Nottingham St Mary 20 15.20x
Ulverston 20 153.26x
Chorley 16 63.64x
West Broughton 16 1059.60x
Derby St Werburgh 15 43.95x
Derby All Sts 14 283.40x
Derby St Alkmund 13 73.40x
Peckleton 12 3428.57x
Barton Stacey 10 1388.89x
Coventry St Michael 9 29.43x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 9 67.37x
Misterton 8 1269.84x
Swannington 8 516.13x
Wymeswold 8 661.16x
Alfreton 7 38.98x
Alvaston 7 416.67x
Basford 7 29.85x
Hinckley 7 70.49x
Market Rasen 7 207.72x
Spondon 7 308.37x
Chesterfield 6 27.08x
Newbold Dunston 6 106.76x
Wilford 6 419.58x
Breaston 5 480.77x
East Broughton 5 390.63x
Kirkby Ireleth 5 224.22x
Barkby 4 493.83x
Hackney London 4 1.89x
Melton Mowbray 4 53.12x
Nailstone 4 421.05x
Newbold Verdon 4 416.67x
Stapleford 4 96.85x
Aston 3 1.14x
Birmingham 3 0.95x
Breedon 3 322.58x
Breedon On The Hill 3 238.10x
Cole Orton 3 389.61x
Derby St Peter 3 15.94x
Pendleton In Salford 3 5.62x
Castleford 2 14.68x
Dadlington 2 909.09x
Hartshorn 2 89.69x
Kibworth Beauchamp 2 137.93x
Loughborough 2 10.53x
Norwood 2 23.18x
Stretford 2 8.12x
West Bromwich 2 2.74x
Aldershot 1 3.86x
Applethwaite 1 40.49x
Ashby De La Zouch 1 10.31x
Bagworth 1 128.21x
Benniworth 1 204.08x
Boulton 1 384.62x
Chilcote 1 833.33x
Coventry Holy Trinity 1 3.52x
Fareham 1 10.75x
Great Grimsby 1 2.61x
Ibstock 1 32.89x
Illston On The Hill 1 250.00x
Irton With Santon 1 123.46x
Kirk Langley 1 113.64x
Leicester St Mary 1 2.96x
Litchurch 1 4.21x
Littleover 1 100.00x
Lower Allithwaite 1 93.46x
Mark Eaton 1 112.36x
Melbourne 1 24.75x
Nether Hallam 1 1.98x
Normanton 1 8.90x
Normanton Le Heath 1 476.19x
Paddington London 1 0.72x
Rempstone 1 243.90x
Royal Navy 1 2.60x
Sandiacre 1 47.39x
Sheepshed 1 17.42x
St Pancras London 1 0.33x
Stanton By Bridge 1 500.00x
Todmorden Walsden 1 8.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 16
Sarah 11
Hannah 10
Ann 9
Eliza 9
Emma 8
Alice 7
Martha 7
Annie 6
Harriet 6
Jane 5
Edith 4
Ellen 4
Kate 4
Margaret 4
Ada 3
Charlotte 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Harriett 3
Isabella 3
Anne 2
Florance 2
Frances 2
Henrietta 2
Rose 2
Thirza 2
Aggy 1
Amelia 1
Casandria 1
Charlote 1
Chatherine 1
E. 1
Emila 1
Emily 1
Fany 1
Francis 1
Isobella 1
Laurie 1
Levinia 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Margar.A. 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Nellie 1
Walter 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 32
Thomas 22
William 21
George 20
Joseph 11
James 10
Charles 9
Alfred 8
Henry 8
Abraham 5
Samuel 5
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
David 2
Edward 2
Lovett 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
A. 1
Alan 1
Albert 1
Ben 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Frederick 1
G.H. 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herman 1
Jonathan 1
Reuben 1
Rheuben 1
Robert 1
Sam 1
Saml. 1
Stephen 1
Timothy 1
Wm 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Frearson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Frearson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 389 people were recorded with the Frearson surname. That placed it at #8,122 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Frearson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 634 in 2016. That gives Frearson a modern rank of #8,340.

What does the Frearson surname mean?

A surname derived from an Old English personal name, possibly meaning "brave" or "courageous" person.

What does the Frearson map show?

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