2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Fromel
A surname of German origin meaning "pious" or "devout".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Fromel. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Fromel 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Fromel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Fromel, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Fromel
The surname FROMEL is believed to have originated in Germany during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old German word "fruma," which means "profit" or "benefit." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked as a merchant or trader.
The earliest known record of the name FROMEL dates back to the 13th century, where it appeared in various historical documents from the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. One notable mention can be found in the "Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae," a collection of historical records from Saxony, which includes references to individuals with the surname FROMEL.
In the 14th century, the name FROMEL appeared in the "Bairisches Namenbuch," a Bavarian name book that documented the surnames of prominent families in the region. This suggests that the FROMEL name had gained some recognition and status during this period.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname FROMEL was Hans Fromel, born in 1420 in Nuremberg, Germany. He was a prominent merchant and trader who established trade routes throughout Europe, contributing to the city's economic prosperity.
Another notable figure was Anna Fromel, born in 1512 in Augsburg, Germany. She was a renowned herbalist and healer, known for her extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and her contributions to the development of early modern medicine.
In the 16th century, the name FROMEL was also associated with the Reformation movement. Johannes Fromel, born in 1542 in Wittenberg, Germany, was a Lutheran theologian and close associate of Martin Luther. He played a significant role in the dissemination of Protestant teachings throughout Germany.
During the 17th century, the FROMEL name was found in various regions of Germany, with some variations in spelling, such as Fromel, Frommel, and Frömmel. One notable figure from this period was Christoph Fromel, born in 1675 in Leipzig, who was a respected jurist and legal scholar.
In the 18th century, the FROMEL name spread to other parts of Europe, including Austria and Switzerland. Notable individuals from this period include Johann Fromel, born in 1712 in Vienna, Austria, who was a renowned architect and designed several landmark buildings in the city.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Fromel
Among Census respondents with the surname Fromel, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Fromel 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 Fromel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.2% · 110
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Fromel
Fromel 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,437 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,734 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 8,437 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 2,734 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 Fromel 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 | #145,220 | #147,954 | -1.9% |
| Count | 114 | 112 | -1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Fromel bearers went from 114 to 112 (-1.8% change). The surname moved down 2,734 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #147,954.
FAQ
Fromel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Fromel?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Fromel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Fromel?
Fromel ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Fromel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Fromel.
Has Fromel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Fromel went from 114 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Fromel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Fromel, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%) and Two or More Races (0.9%). 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 Fromel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.2% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Fromel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%), Two or More Races (0.9%). 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 Fromel (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 Fromel mean?
A surname of German origin meaning "pious" or "devout". 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 Fromel (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 have the last name Fromel?
You can see how many people are called Fromel on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.