NameCensus.

UK surname

Freeborn

A surname referring to someone born free or not enslaved.

In the 1881 census there were 268 people recorded with the Freeborn surname, ranking it #10,542 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 420, ranked #11,414, down from #10,542 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Romsey Extra, Michelmersh, London parishes and Southampton St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Uttlesford, Doncaster and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Freeborn is 491 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.7%.

1881 census count

268

Ranked #10,542

Modern count

420

2016, ranked #11,414

Peak year

1999

491 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Freeborn had 268 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,542 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 420 in 2016, ranked #11,414.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 468 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Freeborn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Freeborn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Freeborn 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 192 #10,756
1861 historical 155 #14,881
1881 historical 268 #10,542
1891 historical 372 #9,386
1901 historical 394 #9,579
1911 historical 468 #8,247
1997 modern 469 #9,759
1998 modern 472 #10,032
1999 modern 491 #9,797
2000 modern 482 #9,901
2001 modern 463 #10,009
2002 modern 481 #9,923
2003 modern 459 #10,113
2004 modern 441 #10,474
2005 modern 423 #10,713
2006 modern 423 #10,765
2007 modern 441 #10,513
2008 modern 432 #10,792
2009 modern 442 #10,844
2010 modern 456 #10,784
2011 modern 421 #11,379
2012 modern 418 #11,318
2013 modern 423 #11,422
2014 modern 431 #11,308
2015 modern 425 #11,346
2016 modern 420 #11,414

Geography

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Where Freeborns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Romsey Extra, Michelmersh, London parishes, Southampton St Mary and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Uttlesford, Doncaster, Cornwall, Mendip and Barnet. 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 Romsey Extra, Michelmersh Hampshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Uttlesford 003 Uttlesford
2 Doncaster 003 Doncaster
3 Cornwall 047 Cornwall
4 Mendip 008 Mendip
5 Barnet 022 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Freeborn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Freeborn

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Freeborn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Freeborn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Freeborn is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Freeborn is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Freeborn falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Freeborn

The surname Freeborn is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is a locational surname, derived from the Old English words 'freo' meaning free and 'burna' meaning stream or brook. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a free-flowing stream or brook.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Freeborn can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, where a John Fryborn is listed. Another early record from the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296 mentions a William Freebourne.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname was primarily concentrated in the counties of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Sussex. Some variations in spelling included Freeburn, Freiborn, and Freeburne.

The Freeborn name is not found in the Domesday Book of 1086, suggesting that it emerged later during the medieval period. However, it is possible that the name existed earlier but was recorded under a different spelling or form.

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir William Freeborn (c. 1510-1591), a member of Parliament for Rye in Sussex during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent individual was Edward Freeborn (1611-1681), a Puritan minister who emigrated from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s and served as a pastor in Hampden County, Massachusetts.

In the 18th century, William Freeborn (1719-1779) was a British naval officer who served during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.

John Freeborn (1677-1756) was an English architect and surveyor who worked on several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St Giles-in-the-Fields.

In the 19th century, Sir Francis Freeborn (1823-1901) was a British diplomat and served as the British Consul-General in Morocco from 1870 to 1889.

While the Freeborn surname is not among the most common in England, it has a long and well-documented history dating back to the medieval period. The name's origins reflect the geographic features of the areas where it first emerged, and it has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Freeborn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Freeborn 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. Middlesex leads with 63 Freeborns recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.41x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 63 2.41x
Surrey 53 4.16x
Hampshire 46 8.59x
Essex 21 4.07x
Kent 15 1.68x
Lancashire 14 0.45x
Oxfordshire 11 6.81x
Buckinghamshire 10 6.33x
Northumberland 7 1.80x
Berkshire 6 3.06x
Yorkshire 6 0.23x
Denbighshire 3 3.04x
Dorset 3 1.75x
Renfrewshire 3 1.48x
Shropshire 2 0.89x
Ayrshire 1 0.51x
Cornwall 1 0.34x
Leicestershire 1 0.35x
West Lothian 1 2.54x
Wiltshire 1 0.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 16 Freeborns recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.31x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 16 6.31x
Streatham 15 77.36x
Southampton St Mary 14 41.56x
Hammersmith London 12 18.64x
Millbrook 12 88.95x
Clapham 11 33.66x
Hursley 8 645.16x
Rusholme 8 96.74x
Anick 7 5000.00x
Bethnal Green London 7 6.16x
Mile End Old Town London 7 12.58x
Oxford St Mary Magdalen 7 366.49x
St Pancras London 7 3.33x
Walthamstow 7 37.70x
Abingdon St Helen 6 104.53x
Croydon 6 8.49x
Shadwell London 6 82.08x
Turweston 6 2222.22x
Beddington 5 101.42x
Deptford St Paul 5 7.27x
Aberford 4 689.66x
Hillesden 4 2000.00x
Kelvedon 4 289.86x
Lambeth 4 1.75x
Mistley 4 287.77x
Oxford St Clement 4 98.28x
Southhampton St Mary Extra 4 689.66x
Camberwell 3 1.80x
Clerkenwell London 3 4.86x
Maidstone 3 11.29x
Moss Side 3 18.38x
Port Glasgow 3 30.64x
Richmond 3 16.81x
Toppesfield 3 389.61x
Braintree 2 43.20x
Flixton 2 125.79x
Holdenhurst 2 14.23x
Leeds 2 1.37x
Llanfwrog 2 165.29x
Murston 2 253.16x
Poplar London 2 4.05x
Shrewsbury St Mary 2 22.45x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 3.80x
Sway 2 277.78x
Bathgate 1 11.70x
Bermondsey 1 1.29x
Bocking 1 32.26x
Chatham 1 4.08x
Chelsea London 1 1.27x
Denbigh 1 25.25x
Deptford St Nicholas 1 14.12x
Droxford 1 49.02x
East Wellow 1 344.83x
Kilwinning 1 15.82x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.27x
Lee 1 7.72x
Madron Penzance 1 9.29x
Melton Mowbray 1 19.19x
Milton In Milton 1 26.39x
Poole St James 1 15.50x
Romsey Infra 1 54.95x
Sittingbourne 1 14.20x
Southwark St John 1 12.50x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.17x
St Marylebone London 1 0.72x
St Thomas Winchester 1 26.46x
Sturminster Marshall 1 138.89x
Swindon 1 5.58x
West Derby 1 1.10x
Whitchurch Canonicorum 1 105.26x
Wimbledon 1 6.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Elizabeth 10
Ellen 8
Alice 5
Ann 5
Eliza 5
Emily 4
Emma 4
Fanny 4
Julia 4
Sarah 4
Annie 3
Charlotte 3
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Kate 3
Susan 3
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Louisa 2
Phoebe 2
Rosa 2
Ruth 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Elizth.M. 1
Ellinor 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Hanah 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Hellen 1
Isabel 1
Lottie 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Mabal 1
Mabel 1
Magherita 1
Marianne 1
Nellie 1
Rose 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 17
William 16
Henry 11
John 10
James 9
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Frederick 5
Richard 5
Charles 4
Thomas 4
Ernest 3
Walter 3
Edward 2
Frank 2
Robert 2
Wm. 2
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Augustus 1
Charlie 1
Edmund 1
Elias 1
Ferdrick 1
Francis 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Isac 1
Joseph 1
Malachi 1
Mark 1
Norman 1
Richd 1
Stanley 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
Watson 1
Wm.A.Jim 1

FAQ

Freeborn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Freeborn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 268 people were recorded with the Freeborn surname. That placed it at #10,542 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Freeborn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 420 in 2016. That gives Freeborn a modern rank of #11,414.

What does the Freeborn surname mean?

A surname referring to someone born free or not enslaved.

What does the Freeborn map show?

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