2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Freil
Of Bavarian origin, a surname denoting someone who was independent or free-spirited.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 114 Americans carry the last name Freil. That puts it at #156,005 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,006,617 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Freil 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
114
1 in 3,006,617
Census rank
#156,005
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
99
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 99 bearers of the surname Freil in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156005th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Freil, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Freil
The surname FREIL has its origins in Germany, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "freil," meaning "free" or "independent." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who was not bound by serfdom or other forms of servitude.
One of the earliest documented instances of the name FREIL can be found in the Palatinate region of Germany, where a record from 1568 mentions a certain Hans Freil. In the following century, the name appeared in various church records and land registries across southern Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Württemberg.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, several notable individuals with the surname FREIL emerged. For instance, Johann Freil (1632-1701) was a prominent theologian and author from Nuremberg, who wrote extensively on religious matters. Another notable figure was Katharina Freil (1670-1738), a renowned herbalist and midwife from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
As the FREIL family spread across Europe, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Freil, Freil, and Freilich. In some regions, the name was also influenced by local dialects, resulting in variations like Frühlich or Fröhlich.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FREIL in England can be traced back to the late 18th century. A certain William Freil (1752-1829), a merchant from Hamburg, settled in London and established a successful trading business. His son, James Freil (1785-1862), would later become a respected banker and philanthropist.
In the 19th century, the name FREIL gained further prominence with individuals like Auguste Freil (1820-1892), a renowned French painter known for her landscapes and portraiture. Another notable figure was Heinrich Freil (1845-1919), a German engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early automotive technology.
Throughout history, the surname FREIL has been carried by various individuals across different fields, including scholars, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings, its bearers have left their mark on the cultural and intellectual landscape of Europe and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Freil
Among Census respondents with the surname Freil, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Freil 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 Freil surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 99
Timeline
Historical Census data for Freil
Freil 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
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-19 bearers (-15.6%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 28,437 places
2020
#156,005
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 99
-4 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 1,229 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | -19 bearers (-15.6%) | Down 28,437 places |
| 2020 | #156,005 | 99 | 0.03 | -4 bearers (-3.9%) | Up 1,229 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 Freil 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 | #157,234 | #156,005 | 0.8% |
| Count | 103 | 99 | -3.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 10.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Freil bearers went from 103 to 99 (-3.9% change). The surname moved up 1,229 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #156,005.
FAQ
Freil surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Freil?
Name Census estimates that about 114 living Americans carry the surname Freil. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,006,617 residents.
How common is Freil?
Freil ranks #156,005 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 99 people with the surname Freil. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (114), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Freil.
Has Freil become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Freil went from 103 recorded bearers to 99. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #156,005.
What does the Census say about the background of Freil?
Among Census respondents with the surname Freil, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. 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 Freil in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Freil appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). 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 Freil (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 Freil mean?
Of Bavarian origin, a surname denoting someone who was independent or free-spirited. 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 Freil (0.03 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 share the surname Freil?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.