Frost Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Frost Origin:

England, Sweden

Origins of Name:

The surname of Frost is of the Anglo-Saxon origin, and comes from the pre 7th Century Old English “frost” or “forst” which was said to be used as a nickname for someone with white hair or a white beard. It was also said to be used for someone with a frosty disposition, who was rather cold and frigid to others. It is also possible that “frost” and “forst” meant that people who bore this surname were born in times of frost, most likely in the autumn.

Variations:

More common variations are:

Froast, Froste, Forost, Frosst, Frosti, Frosty, Froust, Frosta, Ffrost, Frosto

History:

England:

The first recorded spelling of the surname of Frost was that of William Forst, who was recorded in the Doomsday Book of Hampshire in 1086, which was said to cover the “Great Survey” of England. The Doomsday Book was created under the direction of King William I, who was known as “The Conqueror” and reigned from the year 1066 to the year 1087. Other early recordings of this name included Lefstan Frost, who was named in the Feudal Documents of the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk in 1095, and Gilbert Frost, who was named in the 1195 Pipe Rolls of Warwick. Those bearing the surname of Frost were said to have resided more commonly in the the southern region of Hampshire, but later spread all throughout the country. Today, those who have the surname of Frost can be found in high concentrations in the counties of Somerset, Middlesex, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, and the city of London.

Scotland:

Those residing in Scotland that carry the surname of Frost are said to be most commonly found in Aberdeenshire County, Lanarkshire County, Argyll County, Midlothian County, and West Lothian.

The surname was recorded in Ranchory-Devenick in 1819.

United States:

In the 1600’s, settlers began to emigrate to the United States of America, in search for freedom from religious persecution, better and more sanitary living conditions, and work. The first recorded settler to emigrate to the United states was Thomas Frost, who was aged twenty-eight years, and left the city of London on a ship named the “John” in October of the year 1635 which was bound for St. Christopher in the West Indies. Nicholas Frost, and William Frost were said to be the first official recorded people with the surname of Frost to land in the United States in the year 1630. In the 18th Century, Robert Frost arrived in New England in 1730, while Thomas Frost came to America in the year 1765. In the United States, those bearing the surname of Frost can be found in the states of New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, and Texas.

Australia and New Zealand:

In the 19th Century, settlers began to immigrate to the countries of Australia and New Zealand looking to create new colonies. The first person recorded to bear the surname of Frost in Australia was a man named Robert Frost, who was an English convict from Middlesex, and was transported to New South Wales, aboard the ship named the “Almorah” in the year 1817. The first person with the recorded surname of Frost to land in New Zealand was Dennis Frost, who settled in Nelson in 1849.

Frost Today:

United States 49,850

England 22,806

Australia 8,400

South Africa 7,232

Canada 4,638

Russia 4,435

Denmark 3,772

New Zealand 2,248

Sweden 1,392

Ukraine 1,176

Notable People:

Major General Kathryn G. Frost (1948-2006) who was the commander of the US Army and Air Force Exchange Service from August 2002 to April 2005, when she retired, Frost was the highest-ranking woman in the US Army

Edwin Brant Frost II (1866-1935) who was an astronomer and editor od the Astrophysical Journal from the year 1902 to 1932

Arthur Burdett “A.B.” Frost (1851-1928) who was an illustrator, graphic artist, and comic writer

Archie N. Frost, who was a Delegate to the Republican National Convention from Massachusetts in 1916 and 1920, and was a Republican politician from America

Amy Frost, who was a Delegate to the Republican National Convention from Ohio in the year 2008, and was an American Republican politician

Amos L. Frost, who was a U.S. Collector of Internal Revenue for the 4th California District from 1873-1879, and was an American politician

Almon B. Frost, who was a Member of the Michigan State House of Representatives from Oakland County in the 1st District, from 1871 to 1872, and was an American politician

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

1) (co. York). Ar. a chev. sa. betw. three trefoils slipped vert. Crest—An old man’s head ppr. betw. two sprigs of laurel vert.
2) (co. York). Ar. a chev. (another, a fesse) gu. betw. three trefoils slipped az.
3) Ar. on a chev. sa. betw. three owls gu. a quatrefoil or.
4) (co. Suffolk). Ar. a fesse gu. betw. three trefoils az. Crest—A trefoil slipped betw. two wings erect az.
5) (granted to Robert Frost, of Lambeth, co. Surrey). Ar. a chev. az. betw. two thistles slipped in chief and a hind’s head erased in base ppr. Crest—A grey squirrel sejant ppr. semee of estoiles sa. collared and chained or, and holding betw. the paws a hazel branch fructed also ppr.
6) (granted to the Rev. William Frost, of Thorpe, co. Norfolk). Motto—E terra ad coelum. Ar. a chev. sa. betw. three pellets, each charged with a trefoil or. Crest—A trefoil betw. two wings all az.
7) (Meadows Frost, Esq., J.P., of St. John’s House, co. Chester, and Meadowslea, co. Flint). Motto—E terra germino ad coelum expando. Erm. three pelicans chevronwise betw. two chevronels gu. the whole betw. three trefoils az. Crest—Betw. two wings erm. each charged with a trefoil az. a mount vert, thereon a trefoil also az.
8) (Sir Thomas Gibbons Frost, Knt., of Dolcorsllwyn, co. Montgomery). Motto—E terra ad coelum. Ar. a pelican vulning betw. three trefoils slipped vert. Crest—On a mount vert betw. two wings erect az. each charged with a quatrefoil ar. a trefoil slipped of the second.