The Freese surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 6,047 people carried this name — #5,732 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 48,800 people counted. That is up 1% from 5,966 in 2000.

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Where the name comes from

The origin of the Freese surname

From Welsh Rhys, originally a patronym. For the English pronunciation, compare the development of Lloyd to Floyd.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Freese» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

39 people named Freese live in Switzerland.

They live in 3 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Zurich 22
Vaud 10
Bern 7

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

51 people named Freese are counted in Sweden and Finland.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 28
Finland (2026) 23

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In print

Freese in American newspapers,
1919.

Newspaper page from Der Sonntagsbote Und Der Seebote carrying the name Freese
Der Sonntagsbote Und Der Seebote 1919-09-07
Newspaper page from Der Sonntagsbote Und Der Seebote carrying the name Freese
Der Sonntagsbote Und Der Seebote 1919-08-24

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Freese in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1960s.

1,464 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Freese. The most, 318, date from the 1930s. Queensland has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 4.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 807
Western Australia 533
New South Wales 56
Victoria 32
South Australia 22
Tasmania 8
ACT (Canberra) 3

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Freese.

Who carried it

People named Freese,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Henrik Freese d. 1466
  • Letitia Rudyard Ross Freese d. 1884
  • Hans Freese 1700–1800 · sculptor
  • Jakob Freese 1720–1778 · sculptor
  • Johann Conrad Freese 1757–1819 · author
  • Nicholas Freese 1762–

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Freese,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,451 records

1,451 records of the Freese name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 698
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 321
  • Other U.S. records 432
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Frank A. Freese

    Born 1916 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Jay Governors Island; electrical plant worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1960, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Doris Freese

    Arrived at New York in 1850 aboard the Hermine from Bremen, aged 24; farmer. From Bederkesa, Germany.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Elmer Eugene Freese

    Born 1949; from Austin, Minnesota. U.S. Army, field artillery basic; killed in action 1968 in Long An, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,451 records for Freese in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Germany790 records

790 records of the Freese name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 788
  • German emigration and citizenship files 2
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Johann Freese

    Born 1898; from Holsdorf, Norden. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 4 December 1918 (Field Artillery Regiment No. 100).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Christian Freese

    Emigrated to Poland in 1818.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv (CC0)
  3. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Johann Friedrich Freese

    Emigrated to the United States in 1856.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv (CC0)

Showing 3 of 790 records for Freese in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0).

Netherlands625 records

625 records of the Freese name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 377
  • Dutch population registers 231
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 17
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jan Freese

    Married in 1882 in Groningen; smith, born 1826 in Landschafts Polder. Died 1914 in Groningen, aged 87.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Bertus Johannes Freese

    Married in 1902 in Deventer; cigar maker. Died 1951 in Deventer, aged 71; shopkeeper.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Berendina Annegina Freese

    Born 1916 in Arnhem. Married in 1936 in Groningen.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 625 records for Freese in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Australia44 records

44 records of the Freese name in Australia
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 33
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 9
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 2
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Fred Freese

    Arrived in Victoria in 1883 aboard the Procida, aged 24; German.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record John G. Freese

    Farmer of Mallacoota, Victoria; died 1902.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record August Freese

    Naturalised in Queensland in 1881.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 44 records for Freese in Australia.

Counts: Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada3 records

3 records of the Freese name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 1
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 1
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 1
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Dieter Freese

    Died 1965; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Gunnar Freese

    Died 1944 in Brighton, Digby, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 2 of 3 records for Freese in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France3 records

3 records of the Freese name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Gisele Freese

    Born 1912 in Germany; died 1998 in Germany.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Frederic Theodor Freese

    Born 1909 in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines (Haut-Rhin); died 1986 in Saint-Avold (Moselle).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Lucie Madeleine Marguerite Freese

    Born 1922 in Schweighouse-sur-Moder; died 1981 in Haguenau (Bas-Rhin).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

United Kingdom2 records

2 records of the Freese name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. S. Freese

    Norfolk Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. H. Freese

    Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Freese.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Freese is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Freese volume
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