2000
#120,330
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Fregin
An uncommon surname possibly of German or Prussian origin, the precise meaning is uncertain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Fregin. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fregin 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Fregin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fregin, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fregin
The surname FREGIN is of German origin, with its roots tracing back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the regions of Bavaria and Franconia, where it was initially spelled as "Fregen" or "Fregyn". The name is likely derived from the Old German word "fregen", which means "to ask" or "to inquire".
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FREGIN can be found in the Bavarian town records of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, dated back to the late 1300s. These records mention a certain "Hans Fregyn", who was a local merchant and landowner. Another notable mention is in the Franconian chronicles of Nuremberg, where a "Konrad Fregen" is listed as a member of the city council in the early 15th century.
The FREGIN name gained prominence during the 16th century, particularly in the southern German states. In 1518, a scholar named Johannes FREGIN published a treatise on theology and philosophy, which garnered significant attention among the intellectual circles of the time. Later, in the 1570s, a painter named Michael FREGIN gained recognition for his intricate religious murals adorning several churches in Bavaria.
As the name spread across Germany, it also underwent various spelling variations, such as "Fregien", "Fregyn", and "Freginn". In the 17th century, a notable figure named Hans Georg FREGIN served as a military commander during the Thirty Years' War, leading troops from Franconia in several battles.
The 19th century saw the emergence of a renowned German architect, Wilhelm FREGIN, who was responsible for designing several iconic buildings in Munich, including the Alte Pinakothek art museum. His works were highly influential in shaping the architectural landscape of the city.
Another notable figure was the German writer and philosopher, Friedrich FREGIN, who lived in the early 20th century. His works focused on exploring the concepts of existentialism and the human condition, leaving a lasting impact on the literary and philosophical circles of his time.
While the FREGIN surname is not among the most common in Germany today, it continues to hold a rich historical legacy, spanning various fields and contributing to the cultural tapestry of the region over several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fregin
Among Census respondents with the surname Fregin, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Fregin 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 Fregin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 108
- Two or more races5.9% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fregin
Fregin appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
-6 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,718 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-8 bearers (-6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,740 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #120,330 | 133 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 12,718 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.3%) | Down 9,740 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 Fregin 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 | #133,048 | #142,788 | -7.3% |
| Count | 127 | 119 | -6.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fregin bearers went from 127 to 119 (-6.3% change). The surname moved down 9,740 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #142,788.
FAQ
Fregin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fregin?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Fregin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Fregin?
Fregin ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Fregin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Fregin.
Has Fregin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fregin went from 127 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Fregin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fregin, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Fregin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fregin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Two or More Races (5.9%), Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Fregin (2000, 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 Fregin mean?
An uncommon surname possibly of German or Prussian origin, the precise meaning is uncertain. 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 Fregin (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 are called Fregin?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Fregin on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.