Explore the Family Name Frenette
The meaning of Frenette
1. Altered form of French Fernet (via the intermediate form Frenet; compare 2 below), reflecting the Canadian and American French practice of sounding the final -t. Compare Fernette. 2. Alternatively, perhaps an altered form of French Frenet: topographic name for someone who lived on a property of which ash trees were a characteristic feature, from a derivative of frêne (Old French fresne) ‘ash tree’. 3. In some cases possibly also French: from the feminine form of Frenet (see 2 above). History: The progenitor of the (majority of the) American Frenettes was Michel Frenet or Fernet from Sainte-Marguerite-de-l’Autel in Eure, France, who married Marie-Olive Lavoie in Neuville, QC, in 1684. His descendants also bear the surname Fernet, which is the only form established in Eure, France, and its altered form Fernette. Some characteristic forenames: French Andre, Emile, Fernand, Benoit, Colette, Donat, Francois, Jean Marc, Jean-Robert, Julien, Laurier, Luc.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Frenette in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Frenette has seen a slight increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 21,510 in terms of popularity, and this number improved to 21,371 by 2010, marking a 0.65% rise. The count of people bearing the Frenette surname also grew from 1,132 in 2000 to 1,225 in 2010, an increase of 8.22%. However, the proportion per 100,000 people remained unchanged at 0.42.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #21,510 | #21,371 | 0.65% |
| Count | 1,132 | 1,225 | 8.22% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.42 | 0.42 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Frenette
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that in 2000, 98.06% of Frenettes identified as White, decreasing slightly to 95.51% in 2010. The number of Frenettes identifying as having two or more ethnic identities saw a significant increase from 0.53% in 2000 to 1.31% in 2010, a change of 147.17%. There was also an increase in those identifying as Hispanic, from 0.71% to 1.88% over the same period, marking a 164.79% growth. Meanwhile, the percentage of Frenettes identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander remained at zero in both years. The proportions of those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native were also constant at zero.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 98.06% | 95.51% | -2.6% |
| Hispanic | 0.71% | 1.88% | 164.79% |
| Two or More Races | 0.53% | 1.31% | 147.17% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.65% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |