As you may have read elsewhere on this website, our surname, Fretwell, derived from the name of the little village of Fritwell, in England.
The village of Fritwell is not shown on the map of the United Kingdom (to the left), but we have provided this large-scale map to give the village's setting.
First locate London on the map. About 50 miles to the west and a bit north is the city of Oxford. Once you have located Oxford, the village of Fritwell is about 20 miles due north. The location of Fritwell village is marked by a small red rectangle. Fritwell is in the county of Oxfordshire. Its exact location is latitude 51° 57' 46" N and 1° 14' 08" W. Subsequent maps on this webpage show the village distinctly.
Our surname started as "de Fretewell," meaning simply "of Fretewell." Fretewell was the name of the village in 1190 A.D., but it has since changed to Fritwell, and remains with this name today.
Before surnames first were required in England, most persons had none. The only people who had surnames were those who left their home town. They took the surname of their town. Miles de Fretewell (1190 A.D.) is the first person known to have used this surname. While he lived in the town of Fritwell, he was simply known as Miles. When he left, and went to another town, he became known there as Miles de Fretewell. Because his parents did not have this surname, we do not know who they were, nor do we have any means of tracking them. He is truly the first "Fretwell," but, of course, not the first male of our bloodline.
The village of Fritwell is many centuries old. It was well established by 1086 AD, and perhaps earlier, but that is the first date of record for it in "Oxfordshire Place-Names".
Fritwell's population in far past centuries is not known, but we know it has been quite small in the latest 2 centuries. Its population was 476 in 1831 and 524 in 1991.
The next map, below, shows the village of Fritwell, just off the west side of "M40" Highway, about 5 miles north of Bicester. (Find Fritwell just to the right of center on this map.)
The third and fourth maps provide even closer views of Fritwell. Notice Fritwell Road on the fourth map.