NameCensus.

UK surname

Froud

An Old English surname derived from "frod", meaning wise or prudent.

In the 1881 census there were 832 people recorded with the Froud surname, ranking it #4,530 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,273, ranked #4,705, down from #4,530 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Crondall, London parishes and Poole St James. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Dorset, Vale of White Horse and Purbeck.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Froud is 1,336 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.0%.

1881 census count

832

Ranked #4,530

Modern count

1,273

2016, ranked #4,705

Peak year

1999

1,336 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Froud had 832 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,530 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,273 in 2016, ranked #4,705.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,311 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Froud surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Froud surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Froud 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 620 #4,170
1861 historical 588 #4,497
1881 historical 832 #4,530
1891 historical 935 #4,426
1901 historical 1,094 #4,412
1911 historical 1,311 #3,640
1997 modern 1,266 #4,500
1998 modern 1,307 #4,548
1999 modern 1,336 #4,482
2000 modern 1,322 #4,500
2001 modern 1,296 #4,497
2002 modern 1,323 #4,501
2003 modern 1,299 #4,490
2004 modern 1,282 #4,543
2005 modern 1,249 #4,607
2006 modern 1,256 #4,586
2007 modern 1,260 #4,618
2008 modern 1,268 #4,607
2009 modern 1,298 #4,615
2010 modern 1,308 #4,680
2011 modern 1,323 #4,569
2012 modern 1,269 #4,673
2013 modern 1,301 #4,650
2014 modern 1,289 #4,716
2015 modern 1,281 #4,697
2016 modern 1,273 #4,705

Geography

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Where Frouds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Crondall, London parishes, Poole St James and Loose, East Farleigh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Dorset, Vale of White Horse, Purbeck and Maidstone. 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 Crondall Hampshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Poole St James Dorset
4 London parishes London 3
5 Loose, East Farleigh Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Dorset 001 East Dorset
2 Vale of White Horse 015 Vale of White Horse
3 Purbeck 006 Purbeck
4 Maidstone 015 Maidstone
5 Vale of White Horse 016 Vale of White Horse

Forenames

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First names often paired with Froud

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Froud

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Froud, 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 Froud surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Froud 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Froud is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Froud 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

Froud falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Froud

The surname Froud is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "frod," which means wise or learned. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Frod."

In the 14th century, the name was also recorded in various forms such as "Froud," "Frode," and "Froude." These variations were likely due to the inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation during that time period. The name was primarily concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset in the southwestern region of England.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Froud, a prominent landowner in Somerset who lived in the late 14th century. His name appears in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1379.

Another historical figure with the surname Froud was William Froud, a clergyman who lived in Gloucestershire in the late 16th century. He was the rector of Cirencester from 1580 until his death in 1607.

In the 17th century, the name Froud is associated with the village of Froud's Green in Gloucestershire, which likely derived its name from a family with the same surname who resided in the area.

One notable individual from this period was Richard Froud, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in Bristol in the late 1600s. He was involved in the city's thriving trade with the Americas and the West Indies.

In the 18th century, the surname Froud was also found in various parts of Devon and Cornwall. One notable bearer was John Froud, a renowned painter and engraver who was born in Devon in 1759. His works were highly regarded and can be found in several prestigious art collections.

Throughout the 19th century, the surname Froud continued to be prevalent in southwestern England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. Some notable individuals from this period include James Froud, a prominent banker and philanthropist from Bath who lived from 1810 to 1892, and William Froud, a respected architect and surveyor from Bristol who was born in 1830.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Froud families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Froud 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. Hampshire leads with 138 Frouds recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.31x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 138 8.31x
Middlesex 136 1.68x
Kent 129 4.66x
Berkshire 95 15.61x
Dorset 68 12.78x
Surrey 61 1.54x
Somerset 45 3.45x
Wiltshire 35 4.88x
Durham 34 1.41x
Oxfordshire 17 3.40x
Norfolk 14 1.12x
Suffolk 12 1.22x
Gloucestershire 9 0.57x
Sussex 8 0.59x
Angus 4 0.53x
Lincolnshire 4 0.31x
Northumberland 4 0.33x
Essex 3 0.19x
Staffordshire 3 0.11x
Lancashire 2 0.02x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.20x
Cornwall 1 0.11x
Devon 1 0.06x
Glamorgan 1 0.07x
Hertfordshire 1 0.18x
Lanarkshire 1 0.04x
Northamptonshire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 1.04x
Worcestershire 1 0.09x
Yorkshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Maidstone in Kent leads with 61 Frouds recorded in 1881 and an index of 74.05x.

Place Total Index
Maidstone 61 74.05x
Crondall 35 392.38x
Loose 21 517.24x
Hampreston 19 490.96x
Bedminster 18 14.68x
Hackney London 17 3.74x
Kensington London 16 3.55x
Long Ashton 15 231.84x
St Pancras London 15 2.30x
Poole St James 13 65.03x
Portsea 13 3.99x
Woodlands 13 1031.75x
Newington 12 4.01x
Swindon 12 21.58x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 11 59.36x
Camberwell 11 2.12x
East West Hanney 11 460.25x
Lambeth 11 1.56x
Winkfield 11 108.91x
Woolwich 11 10.77x
Diss 10 93.63x
Wimborne St Giles 10 793.65x
Wokingham 10 71.99x
Beenham 9 612.24x
Egham 9 37.11x
Hampstead London 9 7.13x
Henley On Thames 9 87.72x
West Kington 9 1071.43x
Westminster St Margaret 9 23.02x
Bishopstoke 8 187.79x
Bromley London 8 4.49x
Fordingbridge 8 88.59x
Owslebury 8 338.98x
Battersea 7 2.35x
Bristol St George 7 9.52x
Chatham 7 9.20x
Cold Hesledon 7 2333.33x
Hammersmith London 7 3.51x
Isleworth 7 19.42x
Mattingley 7 496.45x
Reading St Giles 7 11.73x
Southampton St Mary 7 6.70x
St Giles 7 46.51x
Wantage 7 72.16x
Childrey 6 419.58x
Feltham 6 74.17x
Holdenhurst 6 13.77x
Horton 6 468.75x
Hunton 6 247.93x
Kinson 6 57.69x
Shoreditch London 6 1.71x
Sonning 6 89.29x
South Stoneham 6 16.65x
Bix 5 420.17x
Boughton Monchelsea 5 163.93x
Christchurch 5 13.88x
Compton 5 285.71x
Otford 5 129.53x
Shinfield 5 139.66x
St Lawrence 5 26.29x
Stratfield Turgis 5 909.09x
Thornley 5 57.27x
Tilehurst 5 40.68x
West Herrington 5 59.17x
Ewell 4 47.96x
Morpeth 4 28.21x
Shipdham 4 94.56x
Wickham 4 130.72x
Winford 4 152.09x
Croydon 3 1.37x
Deptford St Paul 3 1.41x
Lyncombe Widcombe 3 8.78x
Montrose 3 6.59x
Paddington London 3 1.01x
Preston 3 12.57x
Ratcliffe London 3 6.70x
Seaham 3 34.13x
Spalding 3 11.66x
St Marylebone London 3 0.69x
Stratford Toney 3 1034.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 42
George 32
John 30
Henry 27
Charles 26
James 25
Thomas 22
Frederick 17
Alfred 13
Joseph 11
Albert 10
Arthur 9
Walter 8
Ernest 7
David 6
Frank 6
Edward 5
Robert 5
Samuel 5
Isaac 4
Jesse 4
Sidney 4
Francis 3
Fred 3
Richard 3
Wm. 3
Edwin 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Horace 2
Mark 2
Philip 2
Benjamin 1
Clement 1
Daniel 1
Ed 1
Edwd. 1
Elon 1
Fredk 1
Fredrick 1
Gerald 1
Humphrey 1
Infant 1
Jacob 1
Jonathan 1
Julius 1
Laurance 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1

FAQ

Froud surname: questions and answers

How common was the Froud surname in 1881?

In 1881, 832 people were recorded with the Froud surname. That placed it at #4,530 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Froud surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,273 in 2016. That gives Froud a modern rank of #4,705.

What does the Froud surname mean?

An Old English surname derived from "frod", meaning wise or prudent.

What does the Froud map show?

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