2000
#3,203
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,250
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.80
Uncommon Last name
Freitas
A Portuguese toponymic surname referring to someone from a place with cold springs or cold waters.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,804 Americans carry the last name Freitas. That puts it at #3,147 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.74 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 26,769 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Freitas 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Freitas with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
13K
1 in 26,769
Census rank
#3,147
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 11,166 bearers of the surname Freitas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.74 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3147th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Freitas, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and Two or More Races (7.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Freitas
The surname Freitas has its origins in Portugal and is derived from the Portuguese word "freita" which means "valley" or "ravine". It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Portugal, specifically in the areas around the cities of Porto and Braga, where many valleys and ravines are found.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Freitas dates back to the 13th century, appearing in documents related to land ownership and taxation. During this time, it was common for individuals to be identified by their place of origin or residence, and the name Freitas likely referred to someone who lived near or in a particular valley or ravine.
In the 15th century, the surname Freitas appeared in the records of the Portuguese Inquisition, indicating that individuals bearing this name were subject to scrutiny due to their religious beliefs or practices. This suggests that the name had already gained some prominence by that time.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Freitas was João de Freitas, a Portuguese explorer who was born in the late 15th century and participated in several expeditions to the coast of Africa and the Indian Ocean.
Another notable figure was Gaspar de Freitas, a Portuguese nobleman and military commander who lived in the 16th century. He played a significant role in the Portuguese conquest of the Malay Archipelago and was known for his bravery and strategic skills.
In the 17th century, the surname Freitas was closely associated with the Portuguese colonization of Brazil. António de Freitas, born in 1621, was one of the first settlers in the region of Rio de Janeiro and played a crucial role in establishing the city's infrastructure and defenses.
Later in the 18th century, José Joaquim de Freitas, born in 1760, was a prominent Portuguese lawyer and judge who served as a member of the Supreme Court of Justice in Lisbon.
Another notable individual was Francisco de Freitas, a Portuguese playwright and poet who lived in the 19th century. He was born in 1817 and is celebrated for his contributions to the development of Portuguese theater and literature.
Throughout its history, the surname Freitas has been associated with various areas of achievement, including exploration, military service, law, and the arts, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bear this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Freitas
Among Census respondents with the surname Freitas, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and Two or More Races (7.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Freitas 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 Freitas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White76.0% · 8,489
- Hispanic or Latino9.2% · 1,022
- Two or more races7.6% · 848
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.6% · 510
- Black or African American2.5% · 277
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 20
Timeline
Historical Census data for Freitas
Freitas 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
#3,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,041
+791 bearers (+7.7%)
Per 100,000 3.74
Rank movement Down 67 places
2020
#3,147
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,166
+125 bearers (+1.1%)
Per 100,000 3.74
Rank movement Up 123 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,203 | 10,250 | 3.80 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,270 | 11,041 | 3.74 | +791 bearers (+7.7%) | Down 67 places |
| 2020 | #3,147 | 11,166 | 3.74 | +125 bearers (+1.1%) | Up 123 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 Freitas 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 | #3,270 | #3,147 | 3.8% |
| Count | 11,041 | 11,166 | 1.1% |
| Per 100K | 3.74 | 3.74 | -0.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Freitas bearers went from 11,041 to 11,166 (+1.1% change). The surname moved up 123 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,270 to #3,147.
FAQ
Freitas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Freitas?
Name Census estimates that about 12,804 living Americans carry the surname Freitas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 26,769 residents.
How common is Freitas?
Freitas ranks #3,147 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.74 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 11,166 people with the surname Freitas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,804), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.74 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.74 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Freitas.
Has Freitas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Freitas went from 11,041 recorded bearers to 11,166. That is an increase of 125 (+1.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,270 to #3,147.
What does the Census say about the background of Freitas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Freitas, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and Two or More Races (7.6%). 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 Freitas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.0% (8,489 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Freitas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (76.0%), Hispanic (9.2%), Two or More Races (7.6%). 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 Freitas (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 Freitas mean?
A Portuguese toponymic surname referring to someone from a place with cold springs or cold waters. 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 Freitas (3.74 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 Freitas?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.