Explore the Family Name Freitag
The meaning of Freitag
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname from (respectively) Middle High German vrītac and German Freitag ‘Friday’ (Old High German frīatag, frījetag, a translation of Late Latin Veneris dies: Freya was the ancient Germanic goddess of love, sometimes considered as equivalent to the Roman Venus). The German name may have denoted someone born on a Friday or who performed some feudal service then. However, Friday was considered unlucky throughout Christendom in the Middle Ages (because it was the day on which Christ was crucified), and it seems more likely that the name was given to a person considered ill-omened. It is found as a byname in this sense in Old High German. This is by far the commonest of the surnames drawn from the days of the week, followed by Sonntag ‘Sunday’, traditionally a day of good omen. Among Jews, it seems to have been one of the names that were distributed at random by government officials. Compare Friday. Some characteristic forenames: German Otto, Kurt, Gunther, Arno, Bernhard, Bodo, Elfriede, Ernst, Erwin, Gerd, Gerhard, Gunter.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Freitag in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Freitag experienced a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 6938th most common surname, but by 2010, it had dropped slightly to the 7073rd position, a change of -1.95%. Despite this, the actual count of individuals with the Freitag surname increased by 6.14% during the same period, from 4459 to 4733. However, the proportion per 100,000 decreased slightly by -3.03%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,938 | #7,073 | -1.95% |
| Count | 4,459 | 4,733 | 6.14% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.65 | 1.6 | -3.03% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Freitag
When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the Freitag surname, again based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, we see some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The majority identified as White, though this percentage decreased slightly from 95.85% to 94.68%. The proportion of those identifying as Hispanic saw a notable increase of 46.47%, and those identifying as Black also increased by 58.33%, albeit from a much smaller base. The representation of individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander descent decreased by -10.84%, while those identifying with two or more races increased by 35.24%. The smallest group, American Indian and Alaskan Native, saw a significant decrease of -45.00%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.85% | 94.68% | -1.22% |
| Hispanic | 1.7% | 2.49% | 46.47% |
| Two or More Races | 1.05% | 1.42% | 35.24% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.83% | 0.74% | -10.84% |
| Black | 0.36% | 0.57% | 58.33% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.2% | 0.11% | -45% |
Freitag ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Freitag is British & Irish, which comprises 34.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (32.6%) and Eastern European (10.2%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Greek & Balkan.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 34.3% |
| French & German | 32.6% |
| Eastern European | 10.2% |
| Other | 23.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Freitag
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Freitag have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 69.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 69.30% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 69.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 69.30% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 68.50% |
What Freitag haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Freitag is R-L48, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L48 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS3402 and R-U152, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Schulze, Wegner, Herbst, Keller, Heinrich, Moritz, Ebert, Mueller, Guenther, Szabo.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Freitag surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Freitag have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Freitag" Surname 48.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Freitag" Surname 26.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Freitag" Surname 15.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Freitag" Surname 19.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Freitag?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Freitag are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition