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

Fretwell, 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 Fretwell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Fretwell in America

Fretwell is the 14238th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Fretwell surname appeared 2,106 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Fretwell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Fretwell 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 Fretwell

The surname Fretwell has its roots in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a wooded area, derived from the Old English words "frith" meaning wood or forest, and "well" meaning a spring or stream.

In the early days, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as Frithwell, Frethwell, and Frythewell, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations common during that time. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, a medieval tax record dating back to 1176, where it appears as "Fretewelle."

The Fretwell surname has been found in various historical records throughout the centuries. In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are references to places that may have influenced the name's origin, such as "Frith" in Derbyshire and "Fretherne" in Gloucestershire.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Fretwell was John Fretwell, a prominent landowner in Staffordshire, who lived during the 13th century. Another notable bearer of the name was Thomas Fretwell, a wealthy merchant from London, who lived from 1555 to 1621.

In the 17th century, the Fretwell family established a strong presence in the county of Yorkshire. One of the most notable members of this branch was William Fretwell (1638-1709), a Quaker minister and writer who published several religious works.

During the 18th century, the Fretwell name gained prominence in the field of education. Joseph Fretwell (1727-1802) was a renowned educator and headmaster of the Quaker school in Ackworth, Yorkshire, while his son, Joseph Fretwell Jr. (1762-1833), followed in his footsteps and became a respected teacher and author of educational texts.

Another noteworthy individual bearing the Fretwell surname was William Fretwell (1782-1858), a prominent industrialist and iron manufacturer from Staffordshire. He played a significant role in the development of the region's industrial landscape during the Industrial Revolution.

Throughout history, the Fretwell surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, from landowners and merchants to educators, writers, and industrialists. While its origins can be traced back to ancient English roots, the name has spread across the globe, carried by generations of Fretwells who have left their mark in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Fretwell

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

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

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

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