Freman
Meaning unknown or unverified, possibly derived from "free man".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Freman. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Freman today is around 85 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Freman births was 1931 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Freman. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Freman is about 85 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Fremans were born before 1951.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Freman. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1931
10 babies that year
Average age
85
years old
1945 SSA rank
#3,486
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Freman: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Freman from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 42 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Freman by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Freman during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Freman
The name Freman has its origins in the ancient Germanic languages, tracing back to the time of the barbarian tribes that roamed the lands that are now modern-day Germany, France, and the Low Countries. It is derived from the Proto-Germanic root "frī-mannaz," which translates to "free man" or "free-born individual."
In the early medieval period, the name Freman was prevalent among the Frankish and Saxon peoples, who valued personal freedom and independence. It carried connotations of bravery, strength, and a sense of pride in one's heritage and autonomy. The name was often bestowed upon sons born into noble or warrior families, signifying their status as free men and their right to bear arms.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Freman can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval charters and documents from the Saxon duchy. In a document dated 876 AD, a landowner named Freman is mentioned as a witness to a land grant.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Freman was borne by various individuals of note. Freman the Bold, a Saxon chieftain from the 9th century, is remembered for leading a rebellion against the Frankish rulers of the time. Another notable figure was Freman the Scribe, a monk from the 11th century who is credited with producing illuminated manuscripts of exceptional beauty and detail.
In the 12th century, a man named Freman of Aachen gained recognition for his skill as a metalworker and his contributions to the construction of the famous Aachen Cathedral. His intricate ironwork adorned the cathedral's doors and gates, earning him a place in the annals of medieval craftsmanship.
During the Renaissance period, the name Freman continued to be used, though its popularity waned somewhat. A notable bearer of the name was Freman Becker, a German Renaissance humanist and philosopher who lived from 1480 to 1554. He was known for his writings on ethics, logic, and the nature of the human condition.
In the 17th century, a Dutch explorer named Freman van der Merwe embarked on several voyages to the East Indies, contributing to the expansion of Dutch colonial interests in the region. His detailed accounts of his travels and encounters with indigenous peoples were widely read and influential in his time.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the name Freman throughout history, each leaving their mark on their respective eras and fields of endeavor. While the name may have fallen out of common usage in modern times, its roots in the ancient Germanic languages and its association with personal freedom and bravery remain a part of its rich historical legacy.
People
Freman + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Freman as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Freman: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Freman?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Freman going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Freman a common name?
We classify Freman as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 81 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Freman most popular?
The single biggest year for Freman was 1931, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Freman is about 85 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Freman in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Freman a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Freman in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Freman still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Freman in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Freman can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Freman as a first name?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Freman, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.