2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Freeto
A variant spelling of the Italian surname Freto, derived from a geographic name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Freeto. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Freeto surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Freeto in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Freeto, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Freeto
The surname "Freeto" originates from the Italian region of Tuscany, specifically the city of Florence, dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Italian word "fritto," meaning "fried" or "crisp," possibly referring to the occupation of a fritter maker or a baker of fried foods.
During the Renaissance period, the name "Freeto" appeared in several records and documents from Florence, including the city's tax rolls and guild registries. One notable mention is found in a manuscript from 1387, where a certain Giancarlo Freeto is listed as a member of the bakers' guild.
The earliest known record of the surname "Freeto" dates back to 1412, when a man named Pietro Freeto was born in the Oltrarno district of Florence. This area was known for its artisanal workshops and small businesses, which may have contributed to the name's association with the food industry.
In the late 15th century, a branch of the Freeto family settled in the nearby town of Fiesole, where they established themselves as successful olive oil producers. This connection with the olive oil trade is reflected in the family's coat of arms, which features an olive branch.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname "Freeto." In the 16th century, Lorenzo Freeto (1527-1592) was a renowned painter and fresco artist who worked on several churches and palaces in Florence. His most famous work is the fresco adorning the ceiling of the Palazzo Vecchio's Salone dei Cinquecento.
Another prominent figure was Francesca Freeto (1678-1743), a celebrated opera singer who performed in various theaters across Italy and Europe during the Baroque period. Her performances were highly praised by contemporaries, and she was particularly renowned for her roles in operas by Handel and Vivaldi.
In the 19th century, Gustavo Freeto (1814-1892) was a respected botanist and horticulturist who contributed significantly to the study of Tuscan flora. He authored several books on the subject and served as the director of the Botanical Gardens in Florence for over two decades.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the Freeto family expanded beyond Italy, with some members settling in other European countries and even in the Americas. One notable figure from this era was Emilio Freeto (1865-1932), an Italian-American architect who designed several notable buildings in New York City, including the Flatiron Building and the Metropolitan Opera House.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Freeto
Among Census respondents with the surname Freeto, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Freeto bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Freeto surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.2% · 97
- Hispanic or Latino5.5% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Freeto
Freeto appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+10 bearers (+10.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 11,529 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+10.0%) | Up 11,529 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Freeto surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #160,975 | #149,446 | 7.2% |
| Count | 100 | 110 | 10.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 22.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Freeto bearers went from 100 to 110 (+10.0% change). The surname moved up 11,529 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #149,446.
FAQ
Freeto surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Freeto?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Freeto. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Freeto?
Freeto ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Freeto. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Freeto.
Has Freeto become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Freeto went from 100 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 10 (+10.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Freeto?
Among Census respondents with the surname Freeto, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Freeto in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.2% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Freeto appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.2%), Hispanic (5.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Freeto (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Freeto mean?
A variant spelling of the Italian surname Freto, derived from a geographic name. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Freeto (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Freeto?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Freeto on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.