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

Freisleben, 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 Freisleben surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Freisleben in America

Freisleben is the 147095th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Freisleben surname appeared 103 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Freisleben.

The history of the last name Freisleben

The surname Freisleben originates from Germany and can be traced back to the regions of Bavaria and Saxony during the Late Middle Ages. The name is a compound of two Germanic words: "frei" meaning free, and "leben" meaning life or to live. Thus, Freisleben can be interpreted to mean "free life" or "one who lives freely."

Historically, surnames began to be adopted in Germany around the 12th century as populations grew and the need to distinguish between individuals with the same first name became necessary. Freisleben would likely have been a descriptive or occupational surname. It's plausible that it was originally bestowed upon someone who had been freed from serfdom or a person who led an independent life, not bound by feudal obligations.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Freisleben appears in the mid-14th century. A manuscript from 1350 mentions a Johann Freisleben who was a citizen of the town of Nuremberg. This suggests that the name had been established enough to be recorded in civic documents, indicating a degree of societal integration and recognition.

Another early appearance of the surname is found in the records of the Hanseatic League, a commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northwestern and Central Europe. A merchant named Heinrich Freisleben was noted as a member of the league in the year 1423. This affiliation highlights the name's association with trade and the growing economic classes of the period.

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the surname was Martin Freisleben, born in 1538, who served as a jurist in the court of the Elector of Saxony. His legal treatises were well-regarded, and he contributed to the development of Saxon law, which influenced legal practices in the region for centuries.

By the 18th century, the surname Freisleben had spread to other parts of Europe. An example is Georg Freisleben, born in 1702 in Hamburg, who became a renowned cartographer. His maps were used extensively in navigation and exploration during a period of significant maritime expansion.

A later famous individual with the surname was Wilhelm Freisleben, born in 1823, a prominent industrialist during the Industrial Revolution in Prussia. His innovations in steel manufacturing played a crucial role in the economic growth and industrial strength of the region.

The surname has also appeared in academic circles. Otto Freisleben, born in 1875, was a distinguished professor of philosophy at the University of Heidelberg. His work on existentialism and phenomenology earned him international recognition and numerous academic accolades.

Through these historical references, the surname Freisleben demonstrates a rich tapestry of associations with freedom, trade, law, industry, and academia. The name has been borne by many individuals who contributed significantly to their respective fields and left enduring legacies in their communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Freisleben

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Freisleben 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.

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

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

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