The Friel surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,703 people carried this name — #7,113 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 62,900 people counted. That is up 3% from 4,555 in 2000.

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In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 43 births for the Friel name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,900 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 3 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “27 in Donegal, 6 in Tyrone, and § in Londonderry.”

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

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 38
Connacht 5

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Scotland’s registers today

Friel was recorded 31 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 793rd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 48. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Friel in American newspapers,
1899–1912.

Newspaper page from The Age-herald carrying the name Friel
The Age-herald 1899-08-12
Newspaper page from The Mathews Journal carrying the name Friel
The Mathews Journal 1912-05-16
Newspaper page from The Age-herald carrying the name Friel
The Age-herald 1899-08-11

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 17,844 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Friel in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1990s.

1,087 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Friel. The most, 243, date from the 1920s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Western Australia, at 5.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Western Australia 469
Victoria 218
New South Wales 212
Queensland 134
South Australia 27
ACT (Canberra) 13
Northern Territory 5
Tasmania 5

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

Who carried it

People named Friel,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Henry J. Friel
    Henry J. Friel 1823–1869 · politician
  • Bill Friel
    Bill Friel 1876–1959 · baseball player
  • Jack Friel
    Jack Friel 1898–1995 · baseball player
  • Dan Friel 1860–1911 · association football player
  • Pat Friel 1860–1924 · baseball player
  • John Francis 1866–

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Friel,
in the records of 8 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 States1,223 records

1,223 records of the Friel name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 337
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 331
  • Other U.S. records 555
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record John P. Friel

    Born 1927; from Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. U.S. Army, light weapons infantry leader; killed in action 1950 in North Korea. Buried at Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Patrick Friel

    Born 1903 in Irish Free State. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Jay Governors Island, New York; painter. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1980, buried at Calverton National Cemetery, New York.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Furnessia from Glasgow, aged 24; servant. From Donegal, Ireland; bound for Philadelphia.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,223 records for Friel 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. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (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, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia64 records

64 records of the Friel name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 38
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 10
  • Other Australian records 16
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Susannah Friel

    Arrived in Victoria in 1856 aboard the Atalanta, as an infant; Irish.

    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 Neil Friel

    Farmer of Kilmany, Victoria; died 1938.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Catherine Friel

    Of Ryde, New South Wales; died 1925.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 64 records for Friel in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (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).

Germany16 records

16 records of the Friel name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Otto Friel

    From Dömitz, Kreis Ludwigslust. Reported wounded in one of the first Prussian casualty lists of 1914 (Fusilier Regiment No. 90).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Friedrich Friel

    From Glaisin, Kreis Ludwigslust. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 24 September 1914 (Grenadier Regiment No. 5).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 16 records for Friel in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (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).

Netherlands12 records

12 records of the Friel name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 5
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 4
  • Dutch population registers 3
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Francois Joannes Friel

    Married in 1853 in Middelburg; day labourer.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Digna Friel

    Baptised in 1757 in Standdaarbuiten.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Cornelia Friel

    Buried in 1793 in Zevenbergen.

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Friel 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Canada10 records

10 records of the Friel name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 4
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 3
  • Other Canadian records 3
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record William Friel

    Buried in 1930 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record William Friel

    Buried in 1959 at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record James Friel

    Died in service in 1917.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 10 records for Friel in Canada.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom10 records

10 records of the Friel name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 7
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Friel

    Buried in 1945 at Kilmadock Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 76.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record P. Friel

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

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ann Friel

    Died 1945, aged 68; buried at Aberfoyle Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 10 records for Friel in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France2 records

2 records of the Friel 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 Angela Hortense Marie Friel

    Born 1909 in Bourthes; died 1995 in Berck (Pas-de-Calais).

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

    Born 1941 in the United States; died 1997 in Le Port-Marly (Yvelines).

    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).

New Zealand1 record

1 record of the Friel name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Peter Gerard Friel

    Died 1982, aged 29; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Friel.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Friel 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.

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