Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Frome is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in the region of Froome in the counties of Somerset and Hereford. The surname Frome originally derived from German origin and was later adopted by the English as a local name in the 12th century. In Old English the surname Frome was printed as Ffraw which referred to someone who lived beside a river.
The surname Frome was first found in Dorset where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Frome research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1779 is included under the topic Early Frome History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Frome has been spelled many different ways, including Frome, Froome and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Frome Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Fromes to arrive in North America: