Surname Frew - Meaning and Origin
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Frew: What does the surname Frew mean?
The last name Frew is an Anglicized form of the Scottish surname MacFroí, which has its roots in Old Gaelic. The name is derived from the personal name MacFróech, composed of two elements – the pre-Norse Gaelic element mac, meaning 'son of', and the Old Norse Froích, meaning 'lover of horses'. The name was likely given to someone who was particularly skilled in equestrianism or raised horses in some capacity.
MacFroí is an ancient surname and is most commonly found in modern-day Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and Canada. It is believed the surname was first used by people of Irish origin in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, being brought over to these regions by ancient settlers.
The earliest form of the surname Frew was found in 1212, in Northern Ireland's King John I's survey of County Donegal. From there, the surname spread to Scotland's western lowlands, and later to North America, where early records of the surname Frew date back to the 1700s.
Frew is a surname that has been held by many influential people throughout the years, including former President James Monroe’s physician Dr. George Frew, the 18th-century religious leader James Frew, and Canadian actress Caroline Frew.
Order DNA origin analysisFrew: Where does the name Frew come from?
The last name Frew is not an overly common name today. In the United States, the name is most prevalent in Pennsylvania, with an estimated 1,427 people having the name; other concentrations of the name are in New York and California. Beyond the United States, the name is most commonly found in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and in Scotland. In Scotland, the name is particularly common in Ayrshire, where there were an estimated 544 people with the name in 2019. On a global level, it is estimated that there are fewer than 20,000 people with the last name Frew. The surname is thought to be of Scottish-Gaelic origin, representing a placename where Frew is a river and burn in central Scotland. It is also thought to have descended from a personal name Freoir, meaning hero or man of valour. Significant numbers of people with the last name Frew emigrated to the United States, Canada, and Australia during the 19th century, which may account for its current distribution outside of Scotland.
Variations of the surname Frew
The surname Frew has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include:
Frauu, Frave, Freuu, Fear, Fee, Fru, Fere, Fraw, Fres, Frea, Fret, Frey, Fery, Freah, Frye, Frah, Fry, Fresch, Fraa, Fries, Freae, Fraue, Fruw, Freu, Frawi, Fray, Fryye, Frui, Fric, Freau, and Fro.
The Scottish surname Frew is thought to be of Pictish origin and derived from the early Gaelic elements frabh or fraoch meaning “heather”, “gorse” or “briar”. Historically, the Frews were thought to be descended from an Irish sept of the same name, and the name is most common in Scotland in counties such as Stirlingshire, Perthshire, and Aberdeenshire.
Today, Frew is most common throughout Scotland, with some spread into Ireland, England, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. Variations of the surname, such as Frey, Frah, and Fric, are most commonly found outside of Scotland.
Additional spellings of the surname, such as Frawi and Freah, can be found among the Scottish diaspora. Those bearing the surname of Frew can expect to find it spelled differently in various documents throughout history.
Famous people with the name Frew
- Lisa Frew: Lisa is an Australian singer-songwriter and recording artist who has been performing since her teens. She has released 3 albums, which have reached high positions on the ARIA Music Charts, and she has had five Top 40 singles in Australia.
- Peter Frew: Peter is a British former footballer who played as a defender for clubs including Aberdeen and Kilmarnock. After retiring from professional football, Peter has appeared in multiple television series as an actor.
- Ross Frew: Ross is a Scottish actor who has had roles in shows such as Doctor Who and Torchwood. He's also had roles in numerous films, including the recent adaptation of The 39 Steps, in which he plays the character of David Frew.
- Tom Frew: Tom is an American businessman and entrepreneur who is notable for creating the lifestyle brand Patagonia, as well as a number of successful travel related businesses.
- Fraser Frew: Fraser is a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays for Dundee as a right back. He has also played for Queen's Park and Stenhousemuir.
- Adrienne Frew: Adrienne is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Dallas Wings of the WNBA. She played college basketball at Purdue and was a 1st team All-Big Ten selection.
- Bruce Frew: Bruce is an American painter and sculptor renowned for his works that explore the relationship between architectural form, social space, and human interaction. He is a professor at the University of Arizona in Tucson.