NameCensus.

UK surname

Freeburn

A locational surname referring to someone who lived by a freely burning or unhindered fire.

In the 1881 census there were 67 people recorded with the Freeburn surname, ranking it #24,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 291, ranked #15,062, up from #24,104 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Port Glasgow, Beith and Bothwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central, Johnstone South West and Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Freeburn is 291 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 334.3%.

1881 census count

67

Ranked #24,104

Modern count

291

2016, ranked #15,062

Peak year

2016

291 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Freeburn had 67 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,104 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 291 in 2016, ranked #15,062.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 100 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Freeburn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Freeburn surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Freeburn 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 19 #29,904
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 67 #24,104
1891 historical 73 #27,677
1901 historical 100 #22,863
1911 historical 17 #31,675
1997 modern 267 #14,623
1998 modern 254 #15,508
1999 modern 248 #15,884
2000 modern 256 #15,510
2001 modern 258 #15,194
2002 modern 263 #15,277
2003 modern 259 #15,254
2004 modern 252 #15,618
2005 modern 255 #15,437
2006 modern 246 #15,907
2007 modern 247 #16,042
2008 modern 258 #15,732
2009 modern 267 #15,661
2010 modern 273 #15,764
2011 modern 270 #15,754
2012 modern 270 #15,667
2013 modern 276 #15,683
2014 modern 281 #15,583
2015 modern 285 #15,307
2016 modern 291 #15,062

Geography

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Where Freeburns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Port Glasgow, Beith, Bothwell, Govan Combination and Battersea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central, Johnstone South West, Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central, Maybole and Doon Valley North. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Port Glasgow Renfrew
2 Beith Ayr
3 Bothwell Lanark
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Battersea London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central Inverclyde
2 Johnstone South West Renfrewshire
3 Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central Inverclyde
4 Maybole South Ayrshire
5 Doon Valley North East Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Freeburn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Freeburn

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

Freeburn 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

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

Meaning and origin of Freeburn

The surname Freeburn is believed to have originated from England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words 'freo', meaning free, and 'burna', meaning a stream or brook. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a free-flowing stream or brook.

One of the earliest records of the name Freeburn can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from the year 1199, where a person named Robert Frebron is mentioned. It is likely that this was an early spelling variation of the surname Freeburn. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where it is recorded as 'Freberne'.

During the 13th century, the Freeburn name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. This is likely due to the presence of several places in these regions with names that incorporated the word 'burn', such as Burnham and Burnhampton.

One notable historical figure with the surname Freeburn was Sir John Freeburn, born in 1542 in Northamptonshire. He served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Northampton in 1584 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1591 for his services to the Crown.

Another individual of note was William Freeburn, born in 1612 in Buckinghamshire. He was a renowned scholar and clergyman who served as the Rector of Stowe Parish from 1642 until his death in 1681.

In the 16th century, the Freeburn surname also made its way to Scotland, where it is believed to have originated from English settlers. One notable Scottish bearer of the name was James Freeburn, born in 1678 in Edinburgh. He was a prominent merchant and served as a Baillie (a municipal officer) of Edinburgh in the early 18th century.

Other notable individuals with the surname Freeburn include Thomas Freeburn (1689-1754), an English architect known for designing several churches in London, and Elizabeth Freeburn (1738-1812), an English writer and poet whose works were published in several literary magazines of the time.

Throughout its history, the Freeburn surname has seen various spelling variations, including Frebron, Freberne, Freborn, and Freeborne, among others. However, the modern spelling of 'Freeburn' has been widely accepted and used since the 17th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Freeburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Freeburn 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. Northumberland leads with 13 Freeburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.37x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 13 13.37x
Lanarkshire 12 5.68x
Surrey 12 3.77x
Cheshire 10 6.93x
Dunbartonshire 10 56.95x
Ayrshire 5 10.22x
Renfrewshire 5 9.87x

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 12 Freeburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.96x.

Place Total Index
Govan 12 22.96x
Battersea 11 45.74x
Hyde 10 234.74x
Amble 9 2045.45x
Bonhill 6 212.77x
Ardrossan 5 295.86x
Port Glasgow 5 204.08x
New Kilpatrick 4 239.52x
Wallsend 4 129.87x
Lambeth 1 1.76x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 4
William 3
Francis 2
Charles 1
George 1
John 1
Joseph 1

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 Freeburn households.

FAQ

Freeburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Freeburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 67 people were recorded with the Freeburn surname. That placed it at #24,104 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Freeburn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 291 in 2016. That gives Freeburn a modern rank of #15,062.

What does the Freeburn surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived by a freely burning or unhindered fire.

What does the Freeburn map show?

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