NameCensus.

UK surname

Friedman

A Jewish surname derived from the German word "friedmann," meaning "man of peace" or "peacemaker."

In the 1881 census there were 150 people recorded with the Friedman surname, ranking it #15,489 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 453, ranked #10,748, up from #15,489 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Whitechapel and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hackney and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Friedman is 454 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 202.0%.

1881 census count

150

Ranked #15,489

Modern count

453

2016, ranked #10,748

Peak year

2014

454 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Friedman had 150 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,489 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 453 in 2016, ranked #10,748.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 284 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Friedman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Friedman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Friedman 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 5 #32,456
1861 historical 9 #32,724
1881 historical 150 #15,489
1891 historical 237 #13,242
1901 historical 284 #12,093
1911 historical 172 #16,408
1997 modern 296 #13,646
1998 modern 315 #13,452
1999 modern 304 #13,843
2000 modern 312 #13,561
2001 modern 292 #13,967
2002 modern 311 #13,666
2003 modern 338 #12,735
2004 modern 358 #12,252
2005 modern 357 #12,194
2006 modern 351 #12,420
2007 modern 353 #12,521
2008 modern 367 #12,264
2009 modern 382 #12,150
2010 modern 414 #11,673
2011 modern 408 #11,681
2012 modern 417 #11,346
2013 modern 449 #10,850
2014 modern 454 #10,818
2015 modern 450 #10,819
2016 modern 453 #10,748

Geography

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Where Friedmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Whitechapel, Hull Holy Trinity, Manchester and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hackney and Salford. 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 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
2 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
3 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hackney 001 Hackney
2 Hackney 004 Hackney
3 Hackney 003 Hackney
4 Hackney 006 Hackney
5 Salford 010 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Friedman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Friedman

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Friedman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Friedman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Friedman 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

Friedman 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

Friedman falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Friedman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Friedman

The surname Friedman is of German and Jewish origin, derived from the word "fried" meaning peace or peaceful, and "man" meaning man. It originated in the 14th century in Germany and was initially used as a descriptive name for a peaceful person.

The name can be traced back to the early 1300s, with the earliest recorded instance being a mention in the Judenbücher, a set of Jewish record books from the city of Nuremberg, where a person named Friedman Löw was listed in 1346. Similar spellings from this time include Friedemann, Friedmann, and Fridmann.

In the 15th century, the Friedman surname appeared in various German towns and cities, such as Frankfurt, Mainz, and Cologne. One notable example is Abraham Friedman, a prominent Jewish scholar and rabbi who lived in Frankfurt from 1460 to 1528.

As the Jewish population spread across Europe, the Friedman name traveled with them. In the 16th century, it can be found in records from Poland, Bohemia, and the Netherlands. A notable figure from this era is Moses Friedman, a Dutch Jewish philosopher who lived from 1535 to 1603.

The Friedman surname also has a long history in England, with records dating back to the late 16th century. One of the earliest known examples is Daniel Friedman, a merchant who settled in London in 1592.

In the 18th century, the name was well-established in various parts of Europe, including Germany, Poland, and Russia. One notable figure from this period is David Friedman, a German-born Jewish philosopher and author who lived from 1710 to 1782.

As the centuries progressed, the Friedman name continued to spread across the globe, with many bearers of the name achieving notable accomplishments. For instance, Milton Friedman (1912-2006) was an American economist and Nobel Prize winner, while Thomas L. Friedman (born 1953) is a renowned American journalist and author.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Friedman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Friedman 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 45 Friedmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.08x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 45 3.08x
Durham 39 8.96x
Yorkshire 27 1.86x
Northumberland 13 5.97x
Lanarkshire 10 2.11x
Lancashire 10 0.58x
Angus 3 2.21x
Gloucestershire 1 0.35x
Staffordshire 1 0.20x
Warwickshire 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 37 Friedmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 99.04x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 37 99.04x
Spitalfields London 15 136.36x
Whitechapel London 11 76.28x
Holy Trinity 9 25.81x
Manchester 9 11.53x
Govan 8 6.84x
Elswick 7 40.30x
Holy Trinity St Mary 6 271.49x
Sculcoates 6 26.10x
Westgate 6 44.51x
Leeds 5 6.11x
Mile End New Town London 5 173.01x
Hackney London 4 4.88x
Dundee 3 5.93x
Shadwell London 3 73.35x
Westminster St James 3 19.95x
Barony 2 1.67x
Bethnal Green London 2 3.15x
Berkswich 1 333.33x
Huddersfield 1 4.73x
Kensington London 1 1.23x
Liverpool 1 0.95x
Painswick 1 49.26x
Sherbourne 1 1000.00x
St Botolph Aldgate London 1 33.22x
Sunderland 1 13.00x
Westoe 1 4.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 10
Esther 5
Rachel 5
Hannah 4
Mary 4
Leah 3
Anna 2
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Polly 2
Rosa 2
Amalie 1
Amelia 1
Annia 1
Annie 1
August 1
Augusta 1
Betsy 1
Birtha 1
Cecilia 1
Celia 1
Dora 1
Friede 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Johanna 1
Louie 1
Lydia 1
M. 1
Martha 1
Mendsol 1
Rachael 1
Racheal 1
Risa 1
Rosetta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Isaac 7
Jacob 6
Abraham 5
Morris 4
Joseph 3
Lazarus 3
Louis 3
Michael 3
Moses 3
Aaron 2
Elias 2
Ephraim 2
Harris 2
Henry 2
Marcus 2
Samuel 2
Solomon 2
Barend 1
Barnet 1
Bernard 1
Daniel 1
Ellis 1
Harry 1
Hyman 1
Hymen 1
Joe 1
Marks 1
Max 1
Murice 1
Myer 1
Nathan 1
Paul 1
Ralph 1
Simon 1
Wolfe 1

FAQ

Friedman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Friedman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 150 people were recorded with the Friedman surname. That placed it at #15,489 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Friedman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 453 in 2016. That gives Friedman a modern rank of #10,748.

What does the Friedman surname mean?

A Jewish surname derived from the German word "friedmann," meaning "man of peace" or "peacemaker."

What does the Friedman map show?

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