NameCensus.

UK surname

Frodsham

A locational surname derived from Frodsham, a town in Cheshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 372 people recorded with the Frodsham surname, ranking it #8,399 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 814, ranked #6,810, up from #8,399 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Winwick, Astbury and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens, Wigan and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Frodsham is 859 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 118.8%.

1881 census count

372

Ranked #8,399

Modern count

814

2016, ranked #6,810

Peak year

2002

859 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Frodsham had 372 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,399 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 814 in 2016, ranked #6,810.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 664 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Frodsham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Frodsham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Frodsham 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 233 #9,272
1861 historical 178 #13,202
1881 historical 372 #8,399
1891 historical 471 #7,788
1901 historical 531 #7,717
1911 historical 664 #6,331
1997 modern 802 #6,526
1998 modern 831 #6,555
1999 modern 844 #6,523
2000 modern 848 #6,468
2001 modern 832 #6,453
2002 modern 859 #6,417
2003 modern 849 #6,351
2004 modern 859 #6,303
2005 modern 842 #6,353
2006 modern 801 #6,622
2007 modern 802 #6,667
2008 modern 802 #6,733
2009 modern 817 #6,762
2010 modern 836 #6,779
2011 modern 845 #6,645
2012 modern 829 #6,656
2013 modern 816 #6,826
2014 modern 824 #6,815
2015 modern 825 #6,756
2016 modern 814 #6,810

Geography

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Where Frodshams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Winwick, Astbury, Wigan, Frodsham and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens, Wigan and Staffordshire Moorlands. 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 Winwick Lancashire
2 Astbury Cheshire
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Frodsham Cheshire
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 001 St. Helens
2 Wigan 018 Wigan
3 Staffordshire Moorlands 001 Staffordshire Moorlands
4 St. Helens 003 St. Helens
5 St. Helens 016 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Frodsham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Frodsham

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Frodsham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Frodsham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Frodsham is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Frodsham is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Frodsham falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Frodsham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Frodsham

The surname Frodsham has its origins in the county of Cheshire, England, dating back to the 12th century. It is a locational surname derived from the town of Frodsham, which lies on the River Weaver in the heart of Cheshire. The name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "frōd" meaning "wise" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "dwelling place."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Frodsham can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Cheshire from 1260, where a Ralph de Frodesham is mentioned. This historical record suggests that the surname was already well-established in the region by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name Frodsham appeared in the Cheshire Assize Rolls of 1286, where a Richard de Frodesham was listed as a witness. This provides further evidence of the surname's deep roots in the county during the medieval period.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Frodsham. However, it does mention the manor of "Frodisham" in Cheshire, which is likely the precursor to the modern town and surname.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Frodsham throughout history include:

1. Sir John Frodsham (c. 1460 - 1520), an English military commander who served under King Henry VII and King Henry VIII during the Wars of the Roses and the early Tudor period.

2. William Frodsham (1592 - 1650), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Cheddleton in Staffordshire and was a prominent figure during the English Civil War.

3. Thomas Frodsham (1621 - 1695), a renowned English clockmaker who was considered one of the finest watchmakers of his time and established a dynasty of clockmakers in London.

4. George Frodsham (1759 - 1839), a British watchmaker who continued the family business established by his ancestor Thomas Frodsham, and made significant contributions to the development of chronometers and marine timekeepers.

5. John Frodsham (1805 - 1871), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Liverpool and Cheshire, including the Birkenhead Town Hall and the Grosvenor Park Lodge in Chester.

The surname Frodsham is deeply rooted in the history and geography of Cheshire, with its earliest origins dating back to the 12th century and the town that bears its name. Its longevity and historical significance are evident in the various records and notable individuals who have carried this surname over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Frodsham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Frodsham 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. Lancashire leads with 224 Frodshams recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.20x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 224 5.20x
Cheshire 87 10.86x
Middlesex 14 0.39x
Kent 10 0.81x
Surrey 10 0.57x
Hampshire 7 0.94x
Warwickshire 6 0.66x
Devon 3 0.40x
Gloucestershire 3 0.42x
Staffordshire 2 0.16x
Sussex 2 0.33x
Yorkshire 2 0.06x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.44x
Flintshire 1 1.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Windle in Lancashire leads with 55 Frodshams recorded in 1881 and an index of 226.99x.

Place Total Index
Windle 55 226.99x
Congleton 24 173.41x
Eccleston In Prescot 22 101.76x
Bunbury 15 1363.64x
Wigan 15 24.93x
Runcorn 14 75.80x
Kingsley 13 872.48x
Little Bolton 12 21.68x
Preston 12 10.42x
West Derby 12 9.53x
Streatham 10 37.15x
Billinge Chapel End 9 371.90x
Widnes 9 28.98x
Everton 8 5.83x
Holdenhurst 7 35.88x
Liverpool 7 2.68x
Urmston 7 250.90x
Aston 6 2.38x
Chester St Oswald 6 41.38x
Islington London 6 1.71x
Pemberton 6 34.94x
Salford 6 4.74x
Folkestone 5 20.82x
Great Little Saughall 5 568.18x
St Pancras London 5 1.71x
Burtonwood 4 253.16x
Dover St Mary Virgin 4 33.39x
Kirkdale 4 5.52x
Rainford 4 85.84x
Whiston 4 119.05x
Gorton 3 7.41x
Hindley 3 16.34x
Tranmere 3 10.19x
Birkenhead 2 3.13x
Brighton 2 1.62x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 2.98x
Burnley 2 5.52x
Frodsham 2 64.52x
Heaton 2 109.89x
Leek Lowe 2 12.27x
Parr 2 12.99x
Rainhill 2 72.46x
Sheffield 2 1.75x
Stretford 2 8.44x
Uplyme 2 176.99x
Walton On Hill 2 8.57x
Ardwick 1 2.57x
Birkdale 1 9.18x
Bristol St Michael 1 16.39x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 5.78x
Farnworth 1 3.88x
Great Neston 1 37.88x
Hackney London 1 0.49x
Halewood 1 43.29x
Haughton 1 15.92x
Hawarden 1 13.05x
Huyton With Roby 1 19.80x
Kensington London 1 0.50x
Knowsley 1 64.10x
Lewisham 1 1.51x
Litherland 1 11.11x
Newton By Frodsham 1 666.67x
North Meols 1 2.37x
St Botolph Cambridge 1 169.49x
Toxteth Park 1 0.69x
Westminster St James 1 2.68x
Weston In Runcorn 1 48.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Elizabeth 14
Ann 13
Ellen 10
Sarah 10
Jane 8
Margaret 8
Hannah 7
Alice 5
Annie 5
Dora 3
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Eliz. 2
Elizh. 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Lily 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Maud 2
Susannah 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Carrie 1
Clara 1
Effie 1
Eleanor 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Gertrude 1
Ida 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Lilian 1
Lucretia 1
Mabel 1
Margaretta 1
Maria 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 25
Thomas 20
William 20
James 13
Joseph 13
Samuel 9
George 6
Henry 5
Peter 5
Charles 4
Daniel 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Harold 2
Leonard 2
Owen 2
Percy 2
Stephen 2
Will. 2
Abel 1
Alexander 1
Benjamin 1
Benton 1
Cecil 1
Christopher 1
Clarence 1
D.M. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Harrison 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Holmes 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Jonathan 1
Josheph 1
Louis 1
Mary 1
Matthew 1
Miles 1
Sydney 1
T.E.C. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Frodsham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Frodsham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 372 people were recorded with the Frodsham surname. That placed it at #8,399 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Frodsham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 814 in 2016. That gives Frodsham a modern rank of #6,810.

What does the Frodsham surname mean?

A locational surname derived from Frodsham, a town in Cheshire, England.

What does the Frodsham map show?

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