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

Friscia, 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 Friscia surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Friscia in America

Friscia is the 28465th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Friscia surname appeared 838 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 Friscia.

We can also compare 2010 data for Friscia 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 Friscia

The surname Friscia is of Italian origin, specifically from the region of Sicily. It is believed to have emerged around the 12th century during the Norman conquest of the island.

Friscia is derived from the Old French word "fresche," which means "fresh" or "cooling." This likely referred to a person who lived near a cool stream or a fresh water source. The name may have also been used as a nickname for someone with a pleasant or refreshing demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Friscia can be found in a document from the town of Naro, Sicily, dated 1276. This document mentions a certain "Guglielmo Friscia" who was a landowner in the area.

In the 14th century, a branch of the Friscia family relocated to the town of Corleone, which was known for its agricultural and wine-making industries. The name can be found in several historical records from this period, including tax rolls and property deeds.

During the Renaissance, a notable member of the Friscia family was Matteo Friscia (1480-1549), a renowned architect and sculptor from Palermo. He was responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in the city, including the Church of Sant'Agostino and the Palazzo Ajutamicristo.

In the 18th century, the Friscia name gained prominence in the literary world with the birth of Giuseppe Friscia (1718-1793), a poet and playwright from Catania. His works, including the play "La Favola di Oreste," were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.

Another notable figure was Antonio Friscia (1829-1901), a politician and lawyer from Trapani. He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and was a staunch advocate for the rights of Sicilian farmers and workers.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the Friscia family began to spread beyond the borders of Sicily. Vincenzo Friscia (1862-1932), a businessman from Palermo, emigrated to the United States and established a successful import-export company in New York City.

Throughout its history, the surname Friscia has been associated with various professions and backgrounds, from landowners and artists to politicians and entrepreneurs. Despite its humble origins, it has left an indelible mark on the cultural and historical landscape of Sicily and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Friscia

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!