Surname Frame - Meaning and Origin

iGENEA DNA Test: A Journey Into Personal Identity and Heritage Through the Surname 'Frame'

Getting your DNA tested can profoundly change how you perceive your heritage and personal identity. Especially when such testing sheds some light on the meaning of your surname, something that was undoubtedly true in my case with the surname 'Frame.'

S. Frame

Frame: What does the surname Frame mean?

The surname Frame is of Scottish and English origin, originating as an occupational name for a maker of frames or a nickname relating to a person's physique. It is derived from the Middle English term "frame", which means "framework" and was often used to describe someone who built frames for structures like buildings or looms. In the context of a nickname, it was often used to reference someone who had a large or impressive body frame. The surname has been recorded in historical documents since the 14th century. Like many surnames of occupational or descriptive origin, the name Frame would have been a practical way of identifying individuals in small communities, being either indicative of their profession or some defining physical attribute.

Frame: Where does the name Frame come from?

The last name Frame is of Scottish origin. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "fram" signifying "lustful", and was likely initially a nickname for a person with passionate or high-spirited personality traits. The first recorded mention of the Frame surname was in Renfrewshire, Scotland, where they were seated from early times and held a feudal family seat.

Today, the name can be found in various countries around the world due to migration and diaspora, but it remains particularly common in Scotland. It also appears with some frequency in the United States, England, Canada, and Australia. The largest number of people with the Frame surname are found in the United States, followed by the United Kingdom. However, if we consider it by proportion of the total population, Scotland has the highest concentration of people with the Frame surname.

Variations of the surname Frame

The surname Frame has a few variants including Fraim, Frayme, Freame, and Freeme. It derives from the Middle English term "frame", meaning "advantageous, useful", and was believed to be given as a nickname to industrious or helpful individuals.

However, it can also originate from the Old French "frem", referring to a journeyman who had learnt his craft thus related to a term "fram(e)", an important stage in a person's development. The surname translates as ‘Strength to Go Forward'in Old English, denoting a determined or focused individual.

Spelling variations occur due to factors such as the phonetic nature of the evolution of languages over centuries, regional accents and the lack of literacy in the past. Therefore, it won't be surprising to find historical records where the surname is spelled differently but referring to the same person.

Other alternative spellings recorded in church registers and official documents include Framee, Freaime, Freme, Fraeme, or even Phrame. All of these, while appearing separate, could be traced back to the root surname, Frame, emphasizing the rich and varied tapestry of surname evolution.

Famous people with the name Frame

• Dame Joan Frame: Scottish politician and Baroness
• Nikki Frame: American makeup artist and drag radomantist
• John Frame: American theologian and philosopher
• Rory Frame: Scottish professional footballer
• The Frame family: Scottish aristocratic family
• Lynne Frame: Jamaican track and field athlete
• Johnnie Frame: American actor
• Iain Frame: British science fiction writer
• Dr. Keith Frame: American traumatic brain injury neurologist
• Ged Frame: Australian rugby league footballer
• Wanda Frame: American anti-war activist
• Chris Frame: Canadian film director
• Yvonne Frame: British curler
• Barry Frame: Comedic YouTube personality
• Vicki Frame: Canadian film producer
• Clint Frame: American professional race car driver
• Doug Frame: Canadian actor
• C.K. Frame: Canadian actor
• Hal Frame: American Major League Baseball pitcher
• Scott Frame: American hockey player

Other surnames

FramFramanFramauFramenFrameryFramesFramkeFrämkeFrammeFramptonFrams