Find out how popular the last name Free is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Free.

Free, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Free surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Free in America

Free is the 3586th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Free surname appeared 9,923 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Free.

We can also compare 2010 data for Free to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Free

The surname "Free" is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "freo," meaning "free" or "free-born." The name was likely given to someone who was not a serf or slave and was born free.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname "Free" can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a person named Robert le Free. The name also appears in other medieval records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mentions a John le Fre.

During the Middle Ages, the surname "Free" was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire. It is believed that the name may have originated in these regions due to the presence of free tenants or freemen in these areas.

One notable historical figure with the surname "Free" was John Free (c. 1520-1605), an English prelate who served as the Bishop of Worcester from 1585 to 1605. Another prominent individual was Walter Free (c. 1550-1608), an English clergyman and controversialist who was known for his criticisms of the Church of England.

In the 17th century, the surname "Free" was found in various records, such as the Hearth Tax returns of 1662, which listed several households with this name in the county of Gloucestershire. One example is Thomas Free, a resident of the parish of Eastington.

During the 18th century, the surname "Free" continued to be found throughout England. One notable individual from this period was John Free (1711-1792), an English Baptist minister and author who published several works on religious topics.

In the 19th century, the surname "Free" was still prevalent in various parts of England. One notable individual was Walter Free (1797-1876), an English painter and engraver who was known for his landscapes and architectural subjects.

Overall, the surname "Free" has a long and rich history in England, with its origins dating back to the Middle Ages. While it was particularly prevalent in certain regions, such as Oxfordshire and Worcestershire, the name has since spread throughout the country and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Free

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Free.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Free was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Free has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Free was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Free, please contact us.

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