History of your Surname
Get access to Frei family records.Start a free trial

Frei Family History

Frei Name Meaning

Swiss German and German: status name for a free man in the feudal system a variant of Frey . This surname is also found in Hungary Czechia and France (Alsace and Lorraine). Compare Free .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Frey, Free, Brei, Freis, Frein, Preis, Oren, Orem, Rey, Frenz

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Frei family from?

You can see how Frei families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Frei family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most Frei families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there was 1 Frei family living in New York. This was 100% of all the recorded Frei's in USA. New York had the highest population of Frei families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Frei surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Frei ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Frei. 23% of Frei men worked as a Farmer and 17% of Frei women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Frei were Manager and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Frei | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    23%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Manager
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    17%
  • Housewife
    12%
  • Waitress
    12%
  • Teacher
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Frei family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Frei. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Frei census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Frei

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Frei. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Frei immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 17,000 military records available for the last name Frei. For the veterans among your Frei ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Frei military records

You've only scratched the surface of Frei family history

Discover More

What is the average Frei lifespan?

Between 1946 and 2004, in the United States, Frei life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Frei in 1946 was 45, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Frei

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Frei family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Frei last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial