freiin

Freiin is a historical noble title used in German-speaking lands. It is the feminine form of Freiherr, and was typically applied to daughters of a Freiherr or to a noblewoman of the baronial rank. In contrast, the wife of a Freiherr would usually be styled Freifrau rather than Freiin. The title signified noble status within the lower nobility and served as a formal designation within aristocratic society rather than as a sovereign rank.

The use of Freiin appeared from the late Middle Ages through the early modern period and continued in various German states under the Holy Roman Empire and afterward. In formal references, a person bearing the title would be identified with the family name, for example Frei(in) [Name] von [Family]. The position did not confer ruling authority; it denoted lineage and social standing within the aristocracy.

With the abolition of the legal privileges of nobility in 1919, noble titles in Germany ceased to function as legal titles and became part of family names or traditional forms of address only in social contexts. Today Freiin is primarily of historical and genealogical interest and may appear in historical records, genealogies, or literary works set in earlier periods. As a linguistic and social marker, it illustrates how the German nobility organized rank and lineage among its female members.