Surname Freeland - Meaning and Origin

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V. Freeland

Freeland: What does the surname Freeland mean?

The surname Freeland is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from pre 7th-century Olde English. The name comes from "frith" meaning peace and "land" implying land or territory. Consequently, the Freeland surname typically signifies one who dwells in a territory of peace. It is also believed to be a topographic name referring to an individual who lived on land which was free, in other words, exempt from feudal obligations. Over the years, various interpretations and spellings of the name have evolved, and it is widely spread across Europe and North America today. Some spelling variants include Freyland, Friel and Freelend. It is a popular surname in places like Scotland, where they settled in areas such as Arbroath and Edinburgh.

Freeland: Where does the name Freeland come from?

The surname Freeland is of English origin and it is derived from a geographic locality. 'Freeland' employs the Old English pre 7th Century word "freo", meaning free, in the sense of liberal, generous, hearty, with "land", territory. Hence, "freo land" would denote 'land free from feudal obligations'. Its first known recording is in 1176 during the reign of King Henry II, where one Eadricus Freeland was registered in the "Cartularium Monasterii de Rameseia", Cambridgeshire, England.

As for where it is common today, Freeland is still most commonly found in English-speaking countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Among them, according to recent census data, it's most prevalent in the United States. However, even in the United States, it is not a particularly common surname. Based on the same data, for every one million Americans, about 24 are named Freeland.

Variations of the surname Freeland

The surname Freeland derived from the Old English terms "frige," which means "free," and "land," meaning "land." It typically referred to someone owning their piece of land. Sometimes, it was used for people inhabiting or tilling a "free" piece of land, a land that wasn't subjected to feudal duties.

The common versions of this surname include Freeland, Freelan, Freelands, Fryland, Fryeland, Frielan, and Frylan. Surnames that stem from similar origins are Frailey, Frail, Frayle, and Frey, since they all refer to the concept of "free." In addition, the name Freeland can be found as a first name, albeit less frequently.

The name's spelling has morphed over time due to changes in language, regional dialects, and spellings. Additionally, immigrants often modified their names to better fit their new surroundings; therefore, the spelling of some Freeland variants might be heavily influenced by the local culture and language of the countries to which people with this surname emigrated.

Historical documents may contain different versions of this surname due to transcription errors, which further add to the variety of spellings.

Famous people with the name Freeland

• Chrystia Freeland: A Canadian politician and the 10th Deputy Prime Minister of Canada from 2019 to present.
• Glenn Freeland: An American baseball outfielder who played for Detroit Tigers.
• John Freeland: A British barrister and judge who served as a Justice of the High Court of England and Wales from 1995 to 2007.
• Samantha Freeland: An English footballer who played as a defender for the Doncaster Rovers Belles and the England national team.
• Kyle Freeland: An American professional baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball.
• Helen Freeland: A British physician, who was recognized for her work with the Women's Royal Naval Service during World War II.
• Jonathan Freeland: A British journalist, associated with The Guardian.
• Rhonda Freeland: An American softball coach and former college softball catcher and first baseman.
• Bruce Freeland: An Australian politician, who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Hawkesbury from 1976 to 1988.
• Jennifer Freeland: An English former professional tennis player.

Other surnames

Freelan