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

Frye, 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 Frye surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Frye in America

Frye is the 937th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Frye surname appeared 36,973 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 13 people would have the surname Frye.

We can also compare 2010 data for Frye 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 Frye

The surname Frye originated in England and is derived from the Old English word "frig," which means "free" or "free-born." It was often used as a nickname for someone who was born free or had obtained their freedom. The name first appeared in records from the 12th century.

Frye is also thought to be related to the Old English word "freo," which means "beloved" or "noble." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was highly regarded or held in high esteem within their community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Frye can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land and property conducted in England and Wales by order of William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Frie" in the Domesday Book.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Fry," "Frie," and "Frye." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

One notable bearer of the name Frye was John Frye, a prominent English printer and publisher who lived from 1537 to 1592. He was known for publishing works by renowned authors such as John Foxe and John Bale.

Another notable figure was Tobias Frye, an English clergyman and author who lived from 1663 to 1733. He was a prolific writer and published several works on religious topics.

In the 18th century, James Frye, an English surveyor and cartographer, was born in 1709. He is known for his detailed maps of the American colonies, which were widely used during the Revolutionary War.

Moving to the 19th century, William Pierce Frye, an American politician and lawyer, was born in 1831. He served as a United States Senator from Maine and was a prominent figure in the Republican Party.

Finally, in the 20th century, David Frye, an American comedian and impressionist, was born in 1934. He was renowned for his impersonations of political figures, including Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Frye

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

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

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

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