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

Fregoso, 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 Fregoso surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fregoso in America

Fregoso is the 6788th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fregoso surname appeared 4,969 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Fregoso.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fregoso 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 Fregoso

The surname Fregoso is of Italian origin, originating in the medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "fractura" or the Italian word "fregare," meaning to rub or chafe, possibly referring to an occupation or trait associated with the family's ancestors.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in historical documents from the Italian regions of Liguria and Tuscany. In Liguria, the Fregoso family was a prominent noble house that played a significant role in the history of Genoa, holding power and influence in the city's governance during the 13th and 14th centuries.

One of the most notable Fregosos was Tommaso Fregoso (1472-1541), a Genoese statesman and doge of Genoa from 1513 to 1515. He was known for his efforts to maintain Genoa's independence and resist foreign domination.

In the 14th century, a branch of the Fregoso family settled in Tuscany, where they became prominent landowners and merchants. Records from this period mention Piero Fregoso (1340-1418), a wealthy Tuscan merchant and banker who played a significant role in the economic affairs of Florence.

The name Fregoso also appears in historical documents from other parts of Italy, such as the Papal States and the Kingdom of Naples. In the 16th century, Giovanni Battista Fregoso (1500-1572) was a respected jurist and legal scholar from Rome, who served as an adviser to Pope Paul III.

Another notable figure was Cesare Fregoso (1575-1630), an Italian poet and dramatist from Naples. His works, including plays and sonnets, were widely acclaimed during the Renaissance period.

Over the centuries, the Fregoso surname has been recorded with various spellings, such as Fregosa, Fregozi, and Fregozza, reflecting regional variations and linguistic changes. Additionally, the name has been associated with several place names in Italy, such as the town of Fregoso in Liguria and the Fregoso Valley in Tuscany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fregoso

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

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

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

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