Friedkin
A surname with Yiddish roots meaning "man of peace" or "peaceful one."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 171 Americans carry the last name Friedkin. That puts it at #114,424 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,004,411 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Friedkin surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
171
1 in 2,004,411
Census rank
#114,424
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
153
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 153 bearers of the surname Friedkin in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 114424th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Friedkin, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Friedkin
The surname FRIEDKIN is of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, originating from the German and Yiddish languages. It is believed to have derived from the personal name "Fried" or "Friede," which means "peace" in German. The suffix "-kin" is a common diminutive ending in Yiddish, essentially meaning "son of" or "little."
The earliest recorded instances of this surname can be traced back to the 16th and 17th centuries in various regions of Central and Eastern Europe, including Germany, Poland, and parts of the Russian Empire. It is likely that the name emerged as a way to distinguish individuals within Jewish communities during this time period.
One notable individual with the FRIEDKIN surname was Moses Friedkin, a Polish-born Jewish scholar and author who lived from 1804 to 1892. He was a renowned authority on Jewish law and Hebrew literature and authored several influential works on these subjects.
Another historical figure bearing this name was Abraham Friedkin, a Russian-born Jewish businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1857 to 1919. He made significant contributions to various charitable organizations and educational institutions in Russia and later in the United States after immigrating there.
In the realm of arts and entertainment, William Friedkin is a well-known American film director, producer, and screenwriter, born in 1935. He is best known for directing the critically acclaimed films "The French Connection" and "The Exorcist," both of which received numerous awards and accolades.
Moving to the world of politics, Naum Friedkin was a Russian-born Jewish politician and lawyer who lived from 1868 to 1936. He served as a member of the State Duma (the lower house of the Russian parliament) and was a prominent figure in the Constitutional Democratic Party in pre-revolutionary Russia.
Lastly, in the field of medicine, Samuel Friedkin was an American physician and medical researcher who lived from 1916 to 2006. He made significant contributions to the understanding and treatment of leprosy and was involved in the development of several drugs used to combat the disease.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have carried the surname FRIEDKIN, showcasing its diverse origins and the various fields in which bearers of this name have made their mark.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Friedkin
Among Census respondents with the surname Friedkin, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%.
The bar chart below shows how Friedkin bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Friedkin surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.1%
- Unknown or suppressed3.9%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Friedkin surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #102,691 | #114,424 | -11.4% |
| Count | 162 | 153 | -5.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.05 | -16.7% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Friedkin bearers went from 162 to 153 (-5.6% change). The surname moved down 11,733 positions in the national ranking, going from #102,691 to #114,424.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Friedkin
FAQ
Friedkin surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Friedkin?
The surname Friedkin holds position #114,424 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 171 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Friedkin surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Friedkin, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%. These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.