NameCensus.

UK surname

Freeland

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near land not owned by a lord and without rent.

In the 1881 census there were 793 people recorded with the Freeland surname, ranking it #4,693 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,044, ranked #5,589, down from #4,693 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkintilloch, London parishes and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Woking, South Norfolk and Newtongrange.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Freeland is 1,122 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.7%.

1881 census count

793

Ranked #4,693

Modern count

1,044

2016, ranked #5,589

Peak year

1999

1,122 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Freeland had 793 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,693 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,044 in 2016, ranked #5,589.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,031 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Freeland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Freeland surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Freeland 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 534 #4,708
1861 historical 510 #5,127
1881 historical 793 #4,693
1891 historical 902 #4,570
1901 historical 1,031 #4,634
1911 historical 731 #5,863
1997 modern 1,082 #5,146
1998 modern 1,116 #5,196
1999 modern 1,122 #5,210
2000 modern 1,100 #5,265
2001 modern 1,070 #5,286
2002 modern 1,088 #5,317
2003 modern 1,054 #5,363
2004 modern 1,051 #5,381
2005 modern 1,025 #5,440
2006 modern 1,023 #5,462
2007 modern 1,053 #5,378
2008 modern 1,061 #5,369
2009 modern 1,073 #5,434
2010 modern 1,103 #5,420
2011 modern 1,086 #5,436
2012 modern 1,088 #5,340
2013 modern 1,094 #5,402
2014 modern 1,086 #5,464
2015 modern 1,055 #5,554
2016 modern 1,044 #5,589

Geography

Back to top

Where Freelands are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Woking, South Norfolk, Newtongrange and West Berkshire. 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 Kirkintilloch Dunbarton
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Woking 011 Woking
2 South Norfolk 010 South Norfolk
3 Newtongrange Midlothian
4 West Berkshire 018 West Berkshire
5 Woking 009 Woking

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Freeland

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Freeland

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Freeland, 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 Freeland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Freeland 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Freeland 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

Freeland 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

Freeland falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Freeland

The surname Freeland originated in England during the Middle Ages. It derives from the Old English words 'freo' meaning 'free' and 'land' referring to a landowner who was not bound to feudal service. The name likely referred to someone who owned their own land or held it in freehold.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, where a Richard de Frelond is mentioned. This suggests the name was already well-established by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms such as Frelond, Frylond, and Frylaund in records from counties like Yorkshire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire. This indicates the name was widespread across different regions of England.

The Freeland surname is not found in the Domesday Book of 1086, suggesting it emerged later in the medieval period. However, it is possible the name evolved from earlier place names or locations recorded in the Domesday survey.

Some notable individuals bearing the Freeland surname include Sir Ralph Freeland (c. 1490-1555), a courtier and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. Another is John Freeland (c. 1600-1675), an English Puritan minister who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony.

In the 17th century, the surname appears in various spellings such as Freyland, Frylen, and Fryland in parish records across England. Variations like Freland and Frelon were also common.

Other historical figures with the Freeland surname include Thomas Freeland (1710-1789), an English silk merchant and banker, and Benjamin Freeland (1772-1857), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars.

During the 19th century, the surname Freeland became more standardized in its modern spelling. Notable bearers from this period include William Freeland (1808-1888), a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Freeland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Freeland 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. Surrey leads with 179 Freelands recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.74x.

County Total Index
Surrey 179 4.74x
Lanarkshire 106 4.23x
Sussex 98 7.50x
Middlesex 89 1.15x
Kent 40 1.51x
Kincardineshire 29 30.75x
Yorkshire 27 0.35x
Lancashire 26 0.28x
Aberdeenshire 20 2.79x
Durham 18 0.78x
Stirlingshire 18 6.30x
Midlothian 17 1.64x
Hampshire 13 0.82x
Renfrewshire 13 2.17x
Ayrshire 12 2.07x
Dunbartonshire 11 5.28x
West Lothian 11 9.43x
Staffordshire 8 0.31x
Northumberland 7 0.61x
Angus 6 0.84x
Essex 6 0.39x
Somerset 6 0.48x
Lincolnshire 4 0.32x
Wigtownshire 4 3.89x
Bedfordshire 3 0.75x
Cheshire 3 0.18x
East Lothian 3 2.92x
Hertfordshire 3 0.56x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.29x
Devon 2 0.12x
Royal Navy 2 2.17x
Wiltshire 2 0.29x
Buteshire 1 2.13x
Cornwall 1 0.11x
Gloucestershire 1 0.07x
Oxfordshire 1 0.21x
Suffolk 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Walton On Thames in Surrey leads with 30 Freelands recorded in 1881 and an index of 173.11x.

Place Total Index
Walton On Thames 30 173.11x
Nigg 29 371.79x
Barony 26 4.10x
Govan 23 3.71x
Camberwell 21 4.24x
Islington London 18 2.40x
Tonbridge 18 18.89x
Glasgow 17 3.82x
Hartlepool 17 51.91x
Cruden 16 173.16x
Brighton 14 5.31x
Farnham 14 47.70x
Southwark St George Martyr 14 8.98x
Newington 13 4.54x
Kensington London 12 2.79x
Lambeth 12 1.78x
Auckinleck 11 61.32x
Kirkintilloch 11 38.90x
St Pancras London 11 1.76x
Angmering 9 344.83x
Bathgate 9 35.55x
Dalkeith 9 43.97x
Hastings St Mary 9 27.69x
Shoreditch London 9 2.68x
Strathblane 9 252.10x
Thornaby 9 31.38x
Cambusnethan 8 14.38x
Dalserf 8 32.00x
Fazeley 8 168.42x
Whatlington 8 800.00x
Byfleet 7 208.33x
Chelsea London 7 3.00x
Guestling 7 330.19x
Guildford Holy Trinity 7 97.36x
Kingston On Thames 7 7.72x
Lesmahagow 7 26.43x
Lewes St John Under 7 393.26x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 7 10.17x
Paisley Middle Church 7 20.03x
Barry 6 69.69x
Chichester St Peter 6 571.43x
Huddersfield 6 5.37x
New Monkland 6 8.10x
Newick 6 209.06x
Pyrford 6 659.34x
Stoke 6 33.69x
Toxteth Park 6 1.93x
Westbourne 6 92.31x
Weston Super Mare 6 19.06x
Campsie 5 31.89x
Fairlight 5 390.63x
Goudhurst 5 68.40x
Hamilton 5 7.16x
Kirkdale 5 3.23x
Plumstead 5 5.68x
Woking 5 21.99x
Battersea 4 1.40x
Croydon 4 1.91x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 0.96x
Falkirk 4 5.98x
Fraserburgh 4 19.81x
Gomersal 4 11.17x
Hammersmith London 4 2.10x
Hampton London 4 31.42x
Ingoldsby 4 412.37x
Liverpool 4 0.72x
Maidstone 4 5.08x
Maryhill 4 8.16x
Mile End Old Town London 4 2.43x
Mochrum 4 65.15x
Pendleton In Salford 4 3.65x
Chertsey 3 12.30x
Ewell 3 37.64x
Hackney London 3 0.69x
Holdenhurst 3 7.20x
Innerwick 3 145.63x
Radford 3 5.66x
Renfrew 3 15.14x
Subdeanery 3 30.27x
Warblington 3 47.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 34
Henry 21
John 19
George 18
Charles 15
James 15
Alfred 10
Harry 8
Arthur 7
Frederick 7
Samuel 7
Edward 6
Richard 6
Thomas 6
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Joseph 3
Martin 3
Reginald 3
Andrew 2
Clarence 2
Cornelius 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Edwd. 2
Percy 2
Sidney 2
Spencer 2
Alex 1
Amos 1
Asaph 1
Authur 1
Bartholemew 1
Basil 1
Bryan 1
Danl. 1
Dennis 1
Edmund 1
Ewin 1
Godfrey 1
Hubert 1
Jane 1
Louis 1
Parke 1
Wm.D. 1

FAQ

Freeland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Freeland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 793 people were recorded with the Freeland surname. That placed it at #4,693 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Freeland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,044 in 2016. That gives Freeland a modern rank of #5,589.

What does the Freeland surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near land not owned by a lord and without rent.

What does the Freeland map show?

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