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

Frieze, 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 Frieze surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Frieze in America

Frieze is the 32524th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Frieze surname appeared 707 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 Frieze.

We can also compare 2010 data for Frieze 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 Frieze

The surname "FRIEZE" is of Old French origin, derived from the Old French word "frise" meaning "frieze" or "cloth border." The name likely originated in the 12th or 13th century in Northern France, where textile manufacturing and trade were prevalent.

The name may have initially referred to a person who produced or sold fringed cloth or borders, as these were highly valued decorative elements in medieval textiles. Alternatively, some sources suggest the name could have been an occupational surname for a sculptor or mason who carved decorative friezes on buildings or monuments.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where a "William le Frize" is mentioned in Oxfordshire, England. This suggests that the name had already migrated to England by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, a "John Fryse" is recorded in the Poll Tax returns for Yorkshire in 1379, indicating the variant spelling "Fryse" was also in use during this time period.

Notable individuals bearing the surname "FRIEZE" throughout history include:

1. John Frieze (1619-1677), an English Puritan clergyman and author of religious works.
2. Henry Simonds Frieze (1817-1889), an American educator and the second president of the University of Michigan.
3. Robert Frieze (1804-1856), an English architect and surveyor known for his work in Nottinghamshire.
4. James Frieze (1808-1884), a British Wesleyan Methodist minister and author.
5. William Frieze (1791-1858), a British landscape painter and member of the Royal Watercolour Society.

The surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Frieze Hill in Oxfordshire, England, and Friezland in West Yorkshire, England, further indicating the geographical spread and historical significance of the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Frieze

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

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

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

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