NameCensus.

UK surname

Friel

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Firghil, meaning "descendant of Fearghal" (a personal name meaning "brave" or "courageous").

In the 1881 census there were 206 people recorded with the Friel surname, ranking it #12,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,163, ranked #2,991, up from #12,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkintilloch, Govan Combination and Bonhill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pollok North and East, Toryglen and Oatlands and Cowlairs and Port Dundas.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Friel is 2,163 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 950.0%.

1881 census count

206

Ranked #12,596

Modern count

2,163

2016, ranked #2,991

Peak year

2016

2,163 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Friel had 206 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,163 in 2016, ranked #2,991.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 564 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Friel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Friel surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Friel 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 106 #16,512
1861 historical 89 #22,419
1881 historical 206 #12,596
1891 historical 344 #9,969
1901 historical 564 #7,397
1911 historical 82 #24,635
1997 modern 1,892 #3,189
1998 modern 1,935 #3,238
1999 modern 1,950 #3,247
2000 modern 1,987 #3,179
2001 modern 1,941 #3,183
2002 modern 1,963 #3,222
2003 modern 1,980 #3,140
2004 modern 1,979 #3,146
2005 modern 2,015 #3,068
2006 modern 2,000 #3,096
2007 modern 2,011 #3,115
2008 modern 2,044 #3,092
2009 modern 2,084 #3,106
2010 modern 2,119 #3,127
2011 modern 2,084 #3,128
2012 modern 2,071 #3,094
2013 modern 2,130 #3,061
2014 modern 2,151 #3,057
2015 modern 2,152 #3,017
2016 modern 2,163 #2,991

Geography

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Where Friels are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Pollok North and East, Toryglen and Oatlands, Cowlairs and Port Dundas, IZ03 and North East Lincolnshire. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Bonhill Dunbarton
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pollok North and East Glasgow City
2 Toryglen and Oatlands Glasgow City
3 Cowlairs and Port Dundas Glasgow City
4 IZ03 West Dunbartonshire
5 North East Lincolnshire 001 North East Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Friel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Friel

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

Friel 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

Friel 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 Friel 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Friel

The surname Friel originated in Ireland, deriving from the Gaelic word "fraoich," which means "heather." This name likely emerged during the 12th or 13th century, as Irish surnames began to develop from descriptive nicknames or references to a person's physical characteristics, occupation, or location.

The Friel surname was most prevalent in Ulster, particularly in counties Donegal and Derry. It is believed that the name may have originated in the area known as Inishowen, a peninsula in County Donegal. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was "O'Friel," indicating that it was initially a patronymic surname, derived from a progenitor named Friel.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the entry for the year 1261, a man named Gofraig O'Friel is mentioned as the chief of the Cenél Conaill, a prominent Irish dynasty.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Friel surname was Muircheartach O'Friel, a member of the Franciscan order and a renowned scholar. He was born in Donegal around 1510 and is known for his translations of various religious texts into the Irish language.

Another prominent individual with the surname Friel was Brian Friel, a celebrated Irish playwright and author. Born in 1929 in Omagh, County Tyrone, he is best known for his plays such as "Philadelphia, Here I Come!" and "Dancing at Lughnasa," which won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1992.

In the 19th century, a notable figure named James Friel gained recognition as a scientist and meteorologist. Born in County Donegal in 1829, he made significant contributions to the study of atmospheric phenomena and was instrumental in the development of weather forecasting techniques.

The Friel surname has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Friel's Brae and Friel's Hill in County Donegal, further reinforcing its historical roots in the region.

Throughout history, the surname Friel has been recorded with various spellings, including Freel, Freill, and O'Friel, reflecting the evolution of orthography and regional variations in pronunciation.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Friel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Friel 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. Lanarkshire leads with 89 Friels recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.76x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 89 13.76x
Dunbartonshire 44 81.88x
Renfrewshire 17 10.97x
Lancashire 14 0.59x
Midlothian 11 4.11x
Stirlingshire 8 10.85x
Lincolnshire 5 1.56x
Durham 4 0.67x
Yorkshire 4 0.20x
Angus 3 1.62x
Roxburghshire 2 5.52x
Fife 1 0.84x
Middlesex 1 0.05x
Surrey 1 0.10x
Wigtownshire 1 3.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 32 Friels recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.55x.

Place Total Index
Barony 32 19.55x
Govan 23 14.38x
Bonhill 16 185.40x
Glasgow 13 11.32x
Old Kilpatrick 11 173.23x
Kirkintilloch 9 123.29x
Cadder 8 167.36x
Campsie 8 197.53x
Liverpool 7 4.86x
North Leith 7 56.45x
Old Monkland 7 27.28x
West Greenock 7 25.16x
Eastwood 6 62.89x
Barton St Mary 5 312.50x
Manchester 5 4.69x
Willington 4 116.28x
Dumbarton 3 40.11x
Dundee 3 4.34x
Edinburgh Old Church 3 139.53x
Abbey 2 8.46x
Cambusnethan 2 13.93x
Cardross 2 31.01x
Hunslet 2 6.47x
Kelso 2 55.40x
Lanark 2 38.46x
Roseneath 2 194.17x
Arrochar 1 285.71x
Bothwell 1 5.70x
Croydon 1 1.85x
Cupar 1 19.42x
East Greenock 1 6.84x
Edinburgh Greenside 1 28.25x
Kensington London 1 0.90x
Kirkdale 1 2.51x
Kirkmaiden 1 59.52x
Lofthouse 1 33.78x
Port Glasgow 1 13.35x
Shettleston 1 17.27x
Thornton In Bradford 1 15.15x
Toxteth Park 1 1.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Chas. 2
James 2
John 2
Michael 2
Anthony 1
Cornelious 1
Henry 1
Patrick 1
Richd. 1
Thomas 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 Friel households.

FAQ

Friel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Friel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 206 people were recorded with the Friel surname. That placed it at #12,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Friel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,163 in 2016. That gives Friel a modern rank of #2,991.

What does the Friel surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Firghil, meaning "descendant of Fearghal" (a personal name meaning "brave" or "courageous").

What does the Friel map show?

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