2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fridenmaker
A surname derived from a German occupational name for a peacemaker or mediator.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Fridenmaker. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fridenmaker 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.
Bearers in the US
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Fridenmaker in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fridenmaker, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fridenmaker
The surname Fridenmaker is of German origin, originating in the 15th century. The name is derived from the Middle High German words "fride" meaning peace and "machære" meaning maker, essentially translating to "peacemaker". It is believed that the name was initially given to someone who was known for their diplomatic skills and ability to resolve conflicts peacefully.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fridenmaker can be found in the city records of Nuremberg, Germany, dating back to 1472. The record mentions a certain Hans Fridenmaker, who was a merchant and respected member of the community. Another early reference is found in the Duchy of Bavaria, where a Matthias Fridenmaker is listed as a landowner in the village of Altdorf in 1501.
As the Fridenmaker family spread across Germany, variations in spelling emerged, including Friedenmacher, Friedenmaker, and Frietenmaker. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the phonetic transcription of the name by scribes.
In the 16th century, the name Fridenmaker gained prominence with the birth of Johann Fridenmaker (1522-1591), a renowned Lutheran theologian and reformer. Johann was born in Wittenberg, Germany, and studied under Martin Luther himself. He later became a professor of theology at the University of Jena and authored several influential works on theology and biblical exegesis.
Another notable figure with the surname Fridenmaker was Maria Fridenmaker (1680-1758), a German painter and engraver who was active in the early 18th century. Maria was born in Augsburg and is known for her intricate engravings of religious scenes and portraits.
In the 19th century, the Fridenmaker name gained prominence in the field of music with the birth of Hermann Fridenmaker (1832-1891), a German composer and conductor. Hermann was born in Berlin and is best known for his numerous compositions for the piano and chamber ensembles.
The name Fridenmaker can also be found in the historical records of Switzerland, where it is believed to have been introduced by German immigrants in the 16th and 17th centuries. One notable Swiss Fridenmaker was Hans Fridenmaker (1568-1642), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from Basel.
While the surname Fridenmaker is not as common today as it once was, it continues to carry a rich historical significance, reminding us of the importance of peacemaking and conflict resolution throughout the ages.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fridenmaker
Among Census respondents with the surname Fridenmaker, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Fridenmaker 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 Fridenmaker surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.6% · 106
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 4
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fridenmaker
Fridenmaker 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
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,781 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+10 bearers (+9.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,358 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 8,781 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.3%) | Up 8,358 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 Fridenmaker 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 | #152,628 | #144,270 | 5.5% |
| Count | 107 | 117 | 9.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fridenmaker bearers went from 107 to 117 (+9.3% change). The surname moved up 8,358 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #144,270.
FAQ
Fridenmaker surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fridenmaker?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Fridenmaker. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Fridenmaker?
Fridenmaker ranks #144,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 117 people with the surname Fridenmaker. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Fridenmaker.
Has Fridenmaker become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fridenmaker went from 107 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 10 (+9.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Fridenmaker?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fridenmaker, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Fridenmaker in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.6% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fridenmaker appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.6%), Hispanic (3.4%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Fridenmaker (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 Fridenmaker mean?
A surname derived from a German occupational name for a peacemaker or mediator. 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 Fridenmaker (0.04 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 Fridenmaker?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.