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

Frenza, 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 Frenza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Frenza in America

Frenza is the 160975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Frenza surname appeared 100 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Frenza.

We can also compare 2010 data for Frenza 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 Frenza

The surname Frenza has its origins in Italy, specifically in the southern region of Campania. It is believed to have emerged in the 13th or 14th century as a variant of the Italian word "frenza," which means "fringe" or "decorative braid." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who worked with textiles or was involved in the production of fringes or decorative braids.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Frenza can be found in the archives of the city of Naples, where a document from the year 1382 mentions a certain Gian Battista Frenza, a weaver by trade. This suggests that the name was already established in the Neapolitan area during the late Middle Ages.

As the Frenza family spread throughout the region, variations in spelling and pronunciation likely emerged. For instance, in some documents from the 16th and 17th centuries, the name appears as "Frenzi" or "Frenci," reflecting the dialect variations common in different parts of southern Italy.

In the 18th century, the name Frenza gained prominence with the birth of Francesco Frenza (1703-1789), a renowned painter and architect from the town of Salerno. His works adorned many churches and palaces in the region, and he is considered one of the leading figures of the Neapolitan Baroque style.

Another notable individual bearing the surname Frenza was Gennaro Frenza (1834-1914), a political activist and journalist who played a significant role in the Risorgimento movement, which aimed to unify the various states of the Italian peninsula under a single kingdom.

The name Frenza also has ties to the town of Castellammare di Stabia, near Naples. In the 19th century, a family of shipbuilders and naval engineers with the surname Frenza gained recognition for their contributions to the local maritime industry.

One of the more recent figures with the Frenza surname is Gaetano Frenza (1926-2005), a prominent Italian sculptor and painter known for his abstract and figurative works. His sculptures can be found in various public spaces and museums throughout Italy.

While the surname Frenza is not among the most common Italian surnames, it has a rich history and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, activists, and craftsmen, over the course of several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Frenza

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

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

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

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