Fregoso
A likely Spanish or Italian surname from a place-name or descriptive nickname, probably tied to a word for “fierce” or “hot-tempered.”
The #6,788 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 62,134 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Fregoso is most likely a surname of Romance origin, probably from Spanish or Italian. It may be linked to a regional place-name or to a descriptive word connected with being hot, rough, or fierce, though the exact source is not certain. Because the surname is relatively uncommon and not securely documented in standard English-language surname references, its precise root remains open to interpretation.
History
The name is found in both Spanish- and Italian-speaking contexts, so it may have developed independently in more than one place. In the United States it appears as a relatively uncommon immigrant surname, likely arriving through Spanish- or Italian-speaking families. The best-known historical bearer is the Genoese noble family Fregoso, prominent in medieval and Renaissance Italy.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The Fregoso family was influential enough in Genoa that several members became doges of the republic.