NameCensus.

UK surname

Frizzel

A variant spelling of the surname Frizzell, derived from a nickname for a person with curly or frizzy hair.

In the 1881 census there were 69 people recorded with the Frizzel surname, ranking it #23,816 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 105, ranked #30,114, down from #23,816 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Carlisle and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Frizzel is 105 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.2%.

1881 census count

69

Ranked #23,816

Modern count

105

2016, ranked #30,114

Peak year

2016

105 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Frizzel had 69 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,816 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016, ranked #30,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 98 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Frizzel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Frizzel surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Frizzel 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 20 #31,364
1881 historical 69 #23,816
1891 historical 74 #27,538
1901 historical 98 #23,119
1911 historical 46 #28,224
1997 modern 87 #28,749
1998 modern 89 #29,026
1999 modern 84 #29,700
2000 modern 88 #29,284
2001 modern 85 #29,396
2002 modern 88 #29,534
2003 modern 81 #30,311
2004 modern 89 #29,623
2005 modern 87 #29,966
2006 modern 86 #30,425
2007 modern 89 #30,383
2008 modern 92 #30,286
2009 modern 96 #30,239
2010 modern 97 #30,697
2011 modern 96 #30,721
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 96 #31,381
2014 modern 96 #31,667
2015 modern 97 #31,499
2016 modern 105 #30,114

Geography

Back to top

Where Frizzels 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 Northumberland, Carlisle, Newcastle upon Tyne, Torbay and Kirklees. 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 Northumberland 001 Northumberland
2 Carlisle 008 Carlisle
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 019 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 Torbay 014 Torbay
5 Kirklees 021 Kirklees

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Frizzel

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Frizzel

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Frizzel is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Frizzel 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

Frizzel 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 Frizzel is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Frizzel

The surname Frizzel is of English origin, deriving its roots from the ancient Anglo-Saxon cultures of Britain. The name is believed to have emerged sometime in the late 11th or early 12th century, during the period of the Norman Conquest of England.

Frizzel is thought to be a variant spelling of the Old English word "fryssel," which referred to a person with curly or frizzy hair. This physical characteristic was likely used as a descriptive nickname, which later became a hereditary surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Frizzel can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry refers to a landowner named Frizzel in the county of Lincolnshire.

In the 13th century, a notable individual bearing the name Frizzel was Roger Frizzel, a prominent merchant and landowner from the city of York. Records indicate that he was involved in the wool trade and owned several properties in the city.

During the 16th century, the name Frizzel appeared in various historical documents, including parish records and tax rolls. One notable figure from this period was John Frizzel, a soldier who fought in the English Civil War (1642-1651) under Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentarian forces.

In the 18th century, the Frizzel surname gained further recognition with the birth of Elizabeth Frizzel (1719-1788), a highly regarded English poet and essayist. Her work was widely published and celebrated during her lifetime.

Another noteworthy individual with the Frizzel surname was Sir Thomas Frizzel (1765-1843), a British naval officer who served with distinction during the Napoleonic Wars. He was awarded several honors for his bravery and leadership, including the Order of the Bath.

As the centuries progressed, the Frizzel surname spread across various regions of England, with some variations in spelling, such as Frizzell, Frizzle, and Frizzall. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remained closely tied to its Anglo-Saxon roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Frizzel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Frizzel 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. Roxburghshire leads with 20 Frizzels recorded in 1881 and an index of 161.68x.

County Total Index
Roxburghshire 20 161.68x
Northumberland 12 11.81x
Renfrewshire 12 22.68x
Cumberland 11 18.71x
Durham 8 3.94x
Surrey 3 0.90x
Berwickshire 1 12.09x
Devon 1 0.70x
Dorset 1 2.23x
Royal Navy 1 12.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Smailholm in Roxburghshire leads with 20 Frizzels recorded in 1881 and an index of 20000.00x.

Place Total Index
Smailholm 20 20000.00x
West Greenock 12 126.32x
Westgate 12 190.78x
Wigton 11 1250.00x
Battersea 3 11.94x
Westoe 3 26.06x
Wingate 3 215.83x
Shotton 2 400.00x
Eccles 1 277.78x
Milborne St Andrew 1 769.23x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 9.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Hannah 2
Margaret 2
Pheobe 2
Agnes 1
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Jane 1
Rachael 1
Thomason 1

Top male names

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

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 Frizzel households.

FAQ

Frizzel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Frizzel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 69 people were recorded with the Frizzel surname. That placed it at #23,816 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Frizzel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016. That gives Frizzel a modern rank of #30,114.

What does the Frizzel surname mean?

A variant spelling of the surname Frizzell, derived from a nickname for a person with curly or frizzy hair.

What does the Frizzel map show?

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