Find out how popular the last name Frater is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Frater.

Frater, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Frater surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Frater in America

Frater is the 35096th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Frater surname appeared 642 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Frater.

We can also compare 2010 data for Frater to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Frater

The surname FRATER originated in England and is derived from the Latin word "frater" meaning "brother." It was likely initially used to denote someone associated with a monastic order or religious brotherhood.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 13th century in various regions of England, such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. It was often spelled as "Frater" or "Fretre" in medieval records and documents.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries that include the name Frater, suggesting the surname's early presence in the country.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname was Robert Frater, who was recorded as a landowner in the village of Clapham in Yorkshire in the late 12th century.

During the 14th century, the name appeared in various records, including the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, where a John Frater was mentioned as a taxpayer in 1379.

In the 15th century, the surname was found in several places across England, including Lincolnshire, where a Thomas Frater was recorded as a landowner in the village of Withcall in 1430.

A notable figure with the surname was Sir Walter Frater, who lived during the reign of Henry VIII in the 16th century. He served as a member of the King's Privy Council and was appointed as a judge in the Court of Common Pleas in 1537.

Another individual of note was John Frater, born in 1601 in Gloucestershire, who was a prominent theologian and author of several religious works in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the surname was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, where a family of Fraters owned land in the village of Kirkburn.

During the 19th century, the name appeared in records from counties such as Lincolnshire, where a William Frater was listed as a farmer in the parish of Waddington in the 1851 census.

Throughout history, the surname FRATER has been associated with various professions, including clergy, landowners, judges, and scholars, reflecting its origins and connection to religious orders and intellectual pursuits.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Frater

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Frater.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Frater was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Frater has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Frater was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Frater, please contact us.

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