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

Friedlein, 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 Friedlein surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Friedlein in America

Friedlein is the 81458th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Friedlein surname appeared 232 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 Friedlein.

We can also compare 2010 data for Friedlein 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 Friedlein

The surname Friedlein originated in Germany, with roots that can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is a diminutive form of the name Fried, which itself derives from the Germanic word "fridu," meaning "peace." The suffix "-lein" was added to denote a small or little person, likely referring to the physical stature or youthfulness of the original bearer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Friedlein name appears in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. This suggests that the name may have originated in the eastern parts of Germany, where Saxon influence was strong.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Friedlein name can be found in various town records and church registers across central and southern Germany, indicating its spread throughout these regions. Notable individuals from this period include Johannes Friedlein, a scholar and mathematician who lived in the late 15th century, and Hans Friedlein, a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Nuremberg during the 1400s.

As the centuries progressed, the Friedlein name continued to be documented in various historical records, including tax rolls, guild registries, and local chronicles. In the 17th century, a notable figure was Caspar Friedlein, a renowned clockmaker from the town of Augsburg, whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the nobility and wealthy merchants of the era.

The 19th century saw the rise of several distinguished individuals bearing the Friedlein name. Among them was Wilhelm Friedlein, a renowned classical philologist and scholar who was born in 1809 and made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek and Latin texts. Another notable figure was Max Friedlein, a prominent lawyer and legal scholar who lived from 1829 to 1891 and played a pivotal role in shaping German jurisprudence during his time.

Throughout the centuries, the Friedlein name has also been associated with various place names and variations in spelling. For instance, the town of Friedland in northeastern Germany, as well as the region known as Friedländer, may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name in certain areas.

While the Friedlein surname may have evolved and spread across different regions over time, its origins can be traced back to the heart of medieval Germany, where it symbolized a connection to the ideals of peace and tranquility embodied in its Germanic roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Friedlein

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

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

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

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