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

Frías, 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 Frías surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Frías in America

Frías is the 2144th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Frías surname appeared 16,911 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Frías.

We can also compare 2010 data for Frías 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 Frías

The surname Frias is of Spanish and Portuguese origin, derived from the Old Portuguese word "fria" meaning "cold" or "chilly." It is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived in a particularly cold or exposed region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Frias can be found in the 12th century, when it appeared in documents from the region of Galicia in northwestern Spain. The name was also present in medieval records from Portugal, where it was sometimes spelled "Frias" or "Frías."

In Spain, the name Frias is closely associated with the town of Frías, located in the province of Burgos in the autonomous community of Castile and León. This town, which dates back to the 9th century, was once a significant stronghold during the Reconquista period, and it is possible that the surname derived from this place name.

One notable figure in history with the surname Frias was Juan Rodríguez de Frias (c. 1350-1409), a Spanish nobleman and military commander who played a crucial role in the Reconquista. He was a member of the Order of Santiago and served as the alcalde (governor) of Jerez de la Frontera.

Another prominent individual was Pedro de Frias (c. 1490-1567), a Spanish conquistador and explorer who participated in the conquest of Peru alongside Francisco Pizarro. He was one of the few survivors of the Battle of Puna and later served as a lieutenant under Pizarro.

In Portugal, the surname Frias gained prominence through figures such as Fernão de Frias (c. 1530-1596), a Portuguese poet and playwright who was a member of the literary circle known as the "School of Évora." His works, which included comedies and religious plays, were influential during the Renaissance period.

Another notable Portuguese figure was Luís de Frias (c. 1625-1700), a Jesuit priest and mathematician who made significant contributions to the development of calculus and the study of infinitesimals. He taught at the University of Coimbra and was a contemporary of the renowned mathematician and philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.

In the 18th century, Francisco de Frias (c. 1720-1790) was a Spanish military engineer and architect who worked on various fortifications and public works projects throughout Spain and its colonies. He was particularly known for his work on the fortifications of Havana, Cuba, and the city's iconic El Morro Castle.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Frías

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

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

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

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