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Fretwell Family History

Fretwell Name Meaning

English (of Norman origin): variant of the Norman surname de Frescheville from an unidentified place in France named Frècheville. The English surname Freshfield is also derived from this placename. The surname Fretwell is attested in Derbyshire from the 13th century. Alternative possibilities include minor placenames in the Midlands or north of England such as Fretwell Close in Tadcaster Yorkshire or the lost Frethewell in Morton Nottinghamshire but there is currently no evidence to support these origins. English: habitational name from Fritwell Oxfordshire which is possibly derived from Old English freht fyrht firht ‘augury ’ and w(i)elle ‘well’ meaning ‘wishing well’. This name is recorded as Fretewell in 1203 and Fritewell in 1236.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Similar surnames: Creswell, Foxwell, Crowell, Ledwell, Greenwell, Bramwell, Cranwell

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Where is the Fretwell family from?

You can see how Fretwell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fretwell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fretwell families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 35 Fretwell families living in Ontario. This was about 88% of all the recorded Fretwell's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Fretwell families in 1911.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fretwell surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Fretwell

What did your Fretwell ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Fretwell | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1921

Farmer
62%
Laborer
24%
Carpenter
16%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

Student
100%

Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Fretwell family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 33,000 census records available for the last name Fretwell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fretwell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search Canadian census records for Fretwell
Passenger Lists
There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Fretwell. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.
View all Fretwell immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Fretwell. For the veterans among your Fretwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Fretwell military records

Census Records

There are 33,000 census records available for the last name Fretwell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fretwell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Fretwell

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Fretwell. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Fretwell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Fretwell. For the veterans among your Fretwell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fretwell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fretwell family history

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What is the average Fretwell lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Fretwell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1946, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Fretwell in 1946 was 28, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fretwell

Browse profiles of historical people with the Fretwell last name