2000
#8,899
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,384
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.25
Rare Last name
Frith
An English topographic surname for someone who lived near a forest, derived from Old English "fyrhþe" meaning "wood" or "wooded countryside."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,803 Americans carry the last name Frith. That puts it at #9,406 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.11 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 90,127 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Frith surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Frith with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.8K
1 in 90,127
Census rank
#9,406
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,316 bearers of the surname Frith in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.11 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9406th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Frith, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.9%. The next largest groups are Black (16.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Frith
Among Census respondents with the surname Frith, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.9%. The next largest groups are Black (16.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Frith bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Frith surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White74.9% · 2,485
- Black or African American16.3% · 540
- Two or more races4.3% · 143
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 110
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 20
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 18
Timeline
Historical Census data for Frith
Frith appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,068
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,604
+220 bearers (+6.5%)
Per 100,000 1.22
Rank movement Down 169 places
2020
#9,406
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,316
-288 bearers (-8.0%)
Per 100,000 1.11
Rank movement Down 338 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,899 | 3,384 | 1.25 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,068 | 3,604 | 1.22 | +220 bearers (+6.5%) | Down 169 places |
| 2020 | #9,406 | 3,316 | 1.11 | -288 bearers (-8.0%) | Down 338 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Frith surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,068 | #9,406 | -3.7% |
| Count | 3,604 | 3,316 | -8.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.22 | 1.11 | -9.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Frith bearers went from 3,604 to 3,316 (-8.0% change). The surname moved down 338 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,068 to #9,406.
FAQ
Frith surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Frith?
Name Census estimates that about 3,803 living Americans carry the surname Frith. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 90,127 residents.
How common is Frith?
Frith ranks #9,406 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.11 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,316 people with the surname Frith. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,803), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.11 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.11 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Frith.
Has Frith become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Frith went from 3,604 recorded bearers to 3,316. That is a decrease of 288 (-8.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,068 to #9,406.
What does the Census say about the background of Frith?
Among Census respondents with the surname Frith, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.9%. The next largest groups are Black (16.3%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Frith in the 2020 Census, accounting for 74.9% (2,485 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Frith appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (74.9%), Black (16.3%), Two or More Races (4.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Frith (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Frith mean?
An English topographic surname for someone who lived near a forest, derived from Old English "fyrhþe" meaning "wood" or "wooded countryside." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Frith (1.11 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Frith?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Frith on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.