NameCensus.

UK surname

Frith

An English topographic surname for someone who lived near a forest, derived from Old English "fyrhþe" meaning "wood" or "wooded countryside."

In the 1881 census there were 2,991 people recorded with the Frith surname, ranking it #1,496 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,533, ranked #1,919, down from #1,496 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Staffordshire Moorlands, North Lincolnshire and Bolsover.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Frith is 3,897 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.1%.

1881 census count

2,991

Ranked #1,496

Modern count

3,533

2016, ranked #1,919

Peak year

1998

3,897 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Frith had 2,991 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,496 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,533 in 2016, ranked #1,919.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,895 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Frith surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Frith surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Frith 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 2,035 #1,427
1861 historical 1,826 #1,587
1881 historical 2,991 #1,496
1891 historical 3,061 #1,536
1901 historical 3,507 #1,589
1911 historical 3,895 #1,319
1997 modern 3,692 #1,756
1998 modern 3,897 #1,724
1999 modern 3,858 #1,764
2000 modern 3,881 #1,740
2001 modern 3,782 #1,745
2002 modern 3,812 #1,781
2003 modern 3,735 #1,773
2004 modern 3,742 #1,770
2005 modern 3,639 #1,795
2006 modern 3,600 #1,812
2007 modern 3,619 #1,819
2008 modern 3,610 #1,838
2009 modern 3,646 #1,865
2010 modern 3,681 #1,891
2011 modern 3,671 #1,869
2012 modern 3,534 #1,900
2013 modern 3,596 #1,904
2014 modern 3,590 #1,922
2015 modern 3,557 #1,917
2016 modern 3,533 #1,919

Geography

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Where Friths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Sheffield and Chapel-en-le-Frith. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Staffordshire Moorlands, North Lincolnshire, Bolsover, Eden and Derbyshire Dales. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Chapel-en-le-Frith Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Staffordshire Moorlands 007 Staffordshire Moorlands
2 North Lincolnshire 002 North Lincolnshire
3 Bolsover 004 Bolsover
4 Eden 006 Eden
5 Derbyshire Dales 008 Derbyshire Dales

Forenames

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First names often paired with Frith

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Frith

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Frith surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Frith 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Frith 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

Frith is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Frith falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Frith

The surname Frith is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English word "frið" which means peace, security, or sanctuary. It is believed to have originated in England during the 8th or 9th century.

The name was initially used to denote someone who lived in a peaceful or protected area, or possibly someone who was known for their peaceful nature. It may have also been used as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near a sanctuary or a place of refuge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Frith can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Frid" and "Fride." This suggests that the name was already in use in various parts of England during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with spellings such as "Fryde," "Fryth," and "Frythe." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and spelling variations that were common during that time period.

Notable individuals with the surname Frith include John Frith (c. 1503-1533), an English Protestant martyr and religious reformer who was burned at the stake for his beliefs. Another prominent figure was Walter Frith (1822-1909), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London.

In the 16th century, there was Richard Frith (c. 1530-1588), an English politician and member of Parliament. During the 17th century, John Frith (1602-1673) was an English mathematician and author who wrote several influential works on arithmetic and geometry.

One of the most famous people with the surname Frith was the English painter William Powell Frith (1819-1909), known for his realistic depictions of Victorian life and social scenes. His paintings, such as "Derby Day" and "The Railway Station," are considered important works of the Victorian era.

While the name Frith has historical roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and colonization. However, its origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period, and it remains a surname with a rich history and etymology.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Frith families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Frith 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. Yorkshire leads with 544 Friths recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.88x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 544 1.88x
Lancashire 400 1.16x
Middlesex 336 1.15x
Derbyshire 328 7.19x
Lincolnshire 265 5.69x
Cheshire 188 2.92x
Surrey 153 1.08x
Leicestershire 104 3.22x
Staffordshire 97 0.99x
Nottinghamshire 84 2.14x
Warwickshire 63 0.86x
Essex 39 0.68x
Gloucestershire 37 0.65x
Somerset 34 0.72x
Westmorland 34 5.31x
Buckinghamshire 32 1.82x
Berkshire 27 1.23x
Hampshire 18 0.30x
Cumberland 14 0.56x
Lanarkshire 14 0.15x
Northamptonshire 14 0.51x
Sussex 14 0.28x
Dorset 12 0.63x
Glamorgan 12 0.24x
Caernarfonshire 11 0.93x
Kent 11 0.11x
Wiltshire 11 0.43x
Norfolk 10 0.22x
Flintshire 9 1.15x
Hertfordshire 9 0.45x
Shropshire 9 0.36x
Durham 6 0.07x
Suffolk 6 0.17x
Aberdeenshire 5 0.19x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.27x
Pembrokeshire 5 0.54x
Ayrshire 4 0.18x
Devon 4 0.07x
Royal Navy 4 1.15x
Worcestershire 4 0.11x
Herefordshire 3 0.25x
Angus 2 0.07x
Cornwall 2 0.06x
Midlothian 2 0.05x
Fife 1 0.06x
Inverness-shire 1 0.11x
Perthshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 125 Friths recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.59x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 125 13.59x
Ecclesall Bierlow 78 13.28x
Chapel En Le Frith 54 129.59x
Brightside Bierlow 50 8.83x
Nether Hallam 50 12.80x
Leicester St Margaret 47 5.96x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 34 12.64x
Liverpool 34 1.62x
Camberwell 31 1.67x
Manchester 31 1.99x
Chelsea London 30 3.42x
St Marylebone London 30 1.93x
Wirksworth 29 69.90x
Islington London 28 0.99x
Beighton 27 130.62x
Great Grimsby 27 9.13x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 27 71.47x
Croydon 26 3.30x
Hackney London 26 1.59x
Wolstanton 26 8.70x
Everton 24 2.18x
Little Crosby 24 430.88x
Rugeley 22 31.16x
Bethnal Green London 21 1.66x
Kensington London 21 1.30x
Kimberworth 21 13.10x
Lambeth 21 0.83x
West Ham 21 1.65x
Ardwick 20 6.41x
Allostock 19 380.00x
Aston 19 0.94x
Derby St Alkmund 18 13.16x
Coventry Holy Trinity 17 7.75x
Hammersmith London 17 2.37x
Newington 17 1.58x
Oldham 17 1.52x
Staveley 17 20.99x
Burnage 16 188.90x
Eckington 16 14.43x
Hinckley 16 20.87x
Horncastle 16 33.26x
Mile End Old Town London 16 2.58x
Minting 16 455.84x
St Pancras London 16 0.68x
West Derby 16 1.58x
Derby St Werburgh 15 5.69x
Rawmarsh 15 14.70x
Great Marlow 14 29.44x
Kirkby In Ashfield 14 33.32x
Stanwell 14 64.91x
Birmingham 13 0.53x
Disley Stanley 13 39.25x
Holy Trinity 13 1.87x
Hyde 13 6.85x
Leek Lowe 13 9.93x
Macclesfield 13 4.55x
Pilkington 13 9.90x
Saxby In Glanford Brigg 13 397.55x
Scrivelsby 13 1048.39x
Ashton Under Lyne 12 1.59x
Doncaster 12 5.69x
Dore 12 137.61x
Dukinfield 12 4.04x
Gainsborough 12 10.92x
Grayrigg 12 528.63x
Hulme 12 1.66x
Onecote 12 322.58x
Coppull 11 59.69x
Gosberton 11 53.14x
Isleworth 11 8.49x
Leeds 11 0.67x
Battersea 10 0.93x
Cheetham 10 3.88x
Dutton 10 221.73x
Eyam 10 78.49x
Kirkby Thore 10 193.05x
Mansfield 10 7.36x
Scarcliff 10 162.07x
Sutton Cum Duckmanton 10 210.08x
Waltham 10 134.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 219
Sarah 129
Elizabeth 106
Ann 60
Eliza 47
Emma 47
Ellen 45
Annie 44
Jane 44
Hannah 41
Emily 36
Alice 35
Martha 30
Harriet 22
Ada 21
Margaret 20
Clara 18
Fanny 18
Florence 18
Rose 18
Maria 17
Charlotte 16
Louisa 16
Gertrude 15
Kate 15
Anne 14
Catherine 14
Edith 14
Esther 13
Lucy 13
Caroline 12
Agnes 11
Amy 10
Harriett 10
Lydia 8
Matilda 8
Amelia 7
Anna 7
Eleanor 7
Susan 7
Frances 6
Jessie 6
Julia 6
Betsy 5
Isabella 5
Minnie 5
Rebecca 5
Susannah 5
Betsey 4
Mabel 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 186
John 171
George 117
Thomas 92
James 85
Joseph 82
Henry 65
Charles 62
Edward 41
Robert 31
Frederick 28
Walter 27
Arthur 24
Samuel 23
Alfred 21
Harry 19
Albert 18
Richard 17
Herbert 16
Fred 14
Ernest 13
Frank 10
Wm. 10
Francis 9
David 8
Benjamin 7
Edwin 7
Matthew 7
Isaac 6
Saml. 6
Thos. 6
Christopher 5
Luke 5
Mark 5
Peter 5
Edmund 4
Jonas 4
Percy 4
Tom 4
Aaron 3
Earnest 3
Frederic 3
Harold 3
Jas. 3
Joe 3
Moses 3
Nathaniel 3
Paul 3
Reginald 3
Willie 3

FAQ

Frith surname: questions and answers

How common was the Frith surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,991 people were recorded with the Frith surname. That placed it at #1,496 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Frith surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,533 in 2016. That gives Frith a modern rank of #1,919.

What does the Frith surname mean?

An English topographic surname for someone who lived near a forest, derived from Old English "fyrhþe" meaning "wood" or "wooded countryside."

What does the Frith map show?

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