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

Freshwater, 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 Freshwater surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Freshwater in America

Freshwater is the 23500th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Freshwater surname appeared 1,081 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 Freshwater.

We can also compare 2010 data for Freshwater 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 Freshwater

The surname Freshwater is of English origin and derives from a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a freshwater source, such as a stream or a spring. It is believed to have originated in the late 12th or early 13th century.

Freshwater was initially used as a descriptive term or a nickname before becoming a hereditary surname. The earliest known record of the name dates back to 1273, when a John de Fresshewater was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire.

In the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the spelling included Fresshewater, Freschewater, and Fressewatere. These variations reflect the regional dialects and the evolution of the English language over time.

The Freshwater surname was particularly prevalent in Yorkshire and the surrounding areas, where many early bearers of the name lived near freshwater sources. Some notable early examples include Robert de Freschewater, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1292, and Richard de Fresshewater, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Freshwater surname was Sir William Freshwater, a prominent English merchant and politician who lived in the 15th century (c. 1420-1492). He served as the Sheriff of London in 1469 and was a member of the English Parliament.

Another notable figure was Thomas Freshwater (c. 1590-1666), an English clergyman and mathematician who wrote several works on mathematics and astronomy. He served as the Rector of Overton in Hampshire and was a fellow of the Royal Society.

In the 17th century, Edward Freshwater (c. 1620-1685) was a prominent English merchant and landowner who held estates in Somerset. He was also involved in the local government and served as a Justice of the Peace.

John Freshwater (1727-1805) was a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars. He achieved the rank of Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy.

Samuel Freshwater (1806-1870) was a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of the steam engine and other industrial machinery during the Industrial Revolution.

While the Freshwater surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration and colonial expansion. However, the historical records and notable figures mentioned above highlight the surname's English roots and its early prevalence in certain regions of the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Freshwater

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

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

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

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