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Fretter Family History

Fretter Surname Meaning

English (Midlands): occupational name from Middle English fretter ‘maker of frets (ornamental networks for the hair)’ a derivative of Middle English frette ‘fret interlaced work’. See Frett.

German (mainly North Rhine-Westphalia): unexplained.

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


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Where is the Fretter family from?

You can see how Fretter families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fretter family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fretter families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 46 Fretter families living in Northamptonshire. This was about 27% of all the recorded Fretter's in United Kingdom. Northamptonshire had the highest population of Fretter families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fretter surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Fretter ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Bricklayer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Fretter. 20% of Fretter men worked as a Bricklayer and 96% of Fretter women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Fretter were Incapacitated and Domestic Servant (daily).

View Census Data for Fretter | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Bricklayer
    20%
  • Dairy Farmer
    14%
  • Iron Foundry Labourer
    14%
  • Incapacitated
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    96%
  • Domestic Servant (daily)
    5%

What Fretter family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Fretter. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fretter census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Fretter

Passenger Lists

There are 343 immigration records available for the last name Fretter. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Fretter immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 618 military records available for the last name Fretter. For the veterans among your Fretter ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fretter military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fretter family history

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What is the average Fretter lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2003, in the United States, Fretter life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Fretter in 1960 was 49, and 88 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fretter

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Fretter ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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