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

Frees, 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 Frees surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Frees in America

Frees is the 25572nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Frees surname appeared 965 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Frees.

We can also compare 2010 data for Frees 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 Frees

The surname Frees has its origins in the Low German region of northern Germany and the Netherlands, where it likely emerged as an occupational name referring to a free person or freeman. The name is derived from the Middle Low German word "vri" or "vry," meaning free or liberated.

In medieval times, the term "freeman" held significant social and legal implications, distinguishing individuals who were not bound to the land or a lord through serfdom or villeinage. Freemen enjoyed certain rights and privileges denied to those of lower status, including the ability to own property, engage in trades, and move freely.

The earliest known record of the surname Frees can be traced back to the 13th century in the region of Westphalia, Germany. An entry in the Cologne Schreinsbuch, a medieval register of legal transactions, mentions a certain Johann Frees in the year 1285.

During the 14th century, the name Frees began appearing in various Dutch records and chronicles. One notable figure was Pieter Frees, a merchant and alderman in the city of Dordrecht, who lived from 1320 to 1387.

In the 15th century, the surname Frees spread to other parts of the Low Countries and neighboring regions. In 1462, a village called Friesendorf (meaning "Village of the Frees") was established in what is now modern-day Belgium, likely named after early settlers with the Frees surname.

The 16th century saw the emergence of several prominent individuals bearing the Frees name. These included Hendrick Frees (1490-1567), a Dutch painter and engraver known for his religious works, and Johann Frees (1505-1565), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation.

Another notable figure was Hans Frees (1545-1610), a German architect and stonemason responsible for the construction of several churches and castles in the Rhineland region, including the famous Schloss Augustusburg in Brühl.

In the 17th century, the Frees surname made its way to the British Isles, where it was often anglicized to the spelling "Frees" or "Freis." One prominent bearer of the name during this period was Sir John Frees (1620-1688), an English merchant and member of the East India Company who served as Governor of Bombay from 1681 to 1684.

As the centuries passed, the Frees surname continued to spread across Europe and beyond, with bearers of the name making contributions in various fields, including the arts, sciences, and politics. Some other notable figures include the German painter Wilhelm Frees (1819-1898), the Dutch botanist Willem Frees (1849-1919), and the American politician Charles Frees (1856-1934), who served as a U.S. Representative from Ohio.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Frees

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

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 Frees 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 Frees 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 Frees was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!