NameCensus.

UK surname

Freund

A German and Jewish surname meaning "friend," likely referring to a kind or helpful person.

In the 1881 census there were 26 people recorded with the Freund surname, ranking it #29,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 159, ranked #22,798, up from #29,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Northamptonshire, Hackney and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Freund is 170 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 511.5%.

1881 census count

26

Ranked #29,911

Modern count

159

2016, ranked #22,798

Peak year

2014

170 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Freund had 26 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016, ranked #22,798.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 62 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Freund surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Freund surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Freund 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 14 #30,790
1861 historical 10 #32,589
1881 historical 26 #29,911
1891 historical 38 #31,330
1901 historical 53 #28,271
1911 historical 62 #26,622
1997 modern 131 #22,927
1998 modern 138 #22,814
1999 modern 140 #22,789
2000 modern 136 #23,155
2001 modern 136 #22,855
2002 modern 143 #22,595
2003 modern 144 #22,270
2004 modern 137 #23,098
2005 modern 138 #22,999
2006 modern 146 #22,320
2007 modern 141 #23,137
2008 modern 141 #23,383
2009 modern 153 #22,611
2010 modern 160 #22,487
2011 modern 156 #22,690
2012 modern 166 #21,683
2013 modern 169 #21,826
2014 modern 170 #21,914
2015 modern 163 #22,407
2016 modern 159 #22,798

Geography

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Where Freunds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Northamptonshire, Hackney and Leeds. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Northamptonshire 003 South Northamptonshire
2 Hackney 004 Hackney
3 Leeds 012 Leeds
4 Hackney 001 Hackney
5 Hackney 029 Hackney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Freund

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Freund

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Freund, 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 Freund surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Freund 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, Freund 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

Freund is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Freund 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 Freund 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Freund

The surname Freund is of German origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word "vriunt," which means friend or loved one. The name was initially used as a nickname for someone who was considered a good friend or companion.

In the early Middle Ages, surnames were not common, and people were often identified by their occupation, physical characteristics, or personal traits. As the use of surnames became more widespread, Freund emerged as a surname in various regions of modern-day Germany.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Freund can be found in the Würzburg Codex, a 13th-century manuscript from the city of Würzburg in Bavaria. The document mentions a certain "Heinricus Vriunt" (Heinrich Freund) who was a landowner in the area.

During the 14th century, the surname Freund appeared in various official records and documents across German-speaking regions. For example, the Mettlacher Güterverzeichnis (Mettlach Property Register) from the year 1357 lists a "Conradus Frunt" (Conrad Freund) as a landowner in the town of Mettlach, which is now part of modern-day Saarland.

In the 15th century, the surname Freund was also found in other parts of Europe, likely due to migration and trade. One notable example is Johann Freund (c. 1475-1554), a German humanist scholar and writer who was born in Nuremberg but spent much of his life in Italy.

Another notable figure was Friedrich Freund (1768-1827), a German architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in Berlin and other cities in the early 19th century.

In the 19th century, the surname Freund gained prominence in various fields, including science and literature. One example is Wilhelm Freund (1806-1894), a German classical philologist and lexicographer who published several influential works on ancient Greek and Latin.

Another notable figure was Sigmund Freund (1865-1938), an Austrian physician and neurologist who was a close friend and colleague of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis.

In the 20th century, the surname Freund continued to be associated with notable individuals in various fields. For instance, Paul Freund (1908-1992) was a prominent American legal scholar and professor at Harvard Law School, known for his expertise in constitutional law.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Freund families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Freund 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 11 Freunds recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.34x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 11 4.34x
Kent 6 6.93x
Warwickshire 4 6.25x
Yorkshire 2 0.80x
Cornwall 1 3.48x
Hertfordshire 1 5.72x
Lancashire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westminster St James in Middlesex leads with 7 Freunds recorded in 1881 and an index of 268.20x.

Place Total Index
Westminster St James 7 268.20x
Lewisham 5 108.46x
Birmingham 4 18.77x
Bradford 2 32.89x
Edmonton 2 98.04x
Bishop Stortford 1 172.41x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 20.92x
Deptford St Paul 1 14.99x
Kensington London 1 7.09x
Kenwyn 1 133.33x
Stoke Newington London 1 50.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 1
Bertha 1
Elsie 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Louis 1
Louise 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 3
Otto 2
Emanuel 1
Emild 1
Heinrich 1
Hilarius 1
John 1
Julius 1
Philip 1
Victor 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 Freund households.

FAQ

Freund surname: questions and answers

How common was the Freund surname in 1881?

In 1881, 26 people were recorded with the Freund surname. That placed it at #29,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Freund surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 159 in 2016. That gives Freund a modern rank of #22,798.

What does the Freund surname mean?

A German and Jewish surname meaning "friend," likely referring to a kind or helpful person.

What does the Freund map show?

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