Show ContentsFriess History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Friess

What does the name Friess mean?

The surname Friess is name that may have a few different sources. In some instances it is derived from the name of the region of Friesland, and would refer to someone who came from that region. Friesland is located on the coast of the North Sea, and stretches from the Netherlands in the east to Denmark in the north. In the Swabian-Swiss dialects, the word "friesen" means "to dig ditches," and the name may have derived from the occupation of its original bearer.

Early Origins of the Friess family

The surname Friess was first found in Switzerland, where the name was an integral part of the feudal society which would shape modern European history. Many prominent branches of the family would strive to make this name renowned as they contributed to the social, economic and political affairs of the region.

Early History of the Friess family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Friess research. Another 409 words (29 lines of text) covering the years 1409, 1578, 1592, 1653, 1702, 1703, 1705, 1752, 1757, 1763, 1783, 1785 and 1825 are included under the topic Early Friess History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Friess Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Friesen, Fries, Friese, Freese, Frees, Freesen, Frehse, Frese, Fresen, Fresenius (Latin), Frieser, Friess, Friesse and many more.

Early Notables of the Friess family

Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Friess Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Friess Ranking

In France, the name Friess is the 9,252nd most popular surname with an estimated 500 - 1,000 people with that name. 1


Friess migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Friess Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johannes Friess, who landed in Philadelphia in 1738
  • Johan Wilhelm Friess, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1751 2
  • Martin Friess, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1751 2
  • Michael Friess, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1751 2
  • Johann Jacob Friess, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Friess Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Peter Friess, who landed in North America in 1835 2
  • Georg Daniel Friess, who landed in North America in 1836 2
  • Phillipp Friess, who landed in North America in 1838 2
  • Mr. Adam Friess, aged 27, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Riga"
  • Joh Bernh Friess, who landed in America in 1849 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Friess (post 1700) +

  • Katherine Friess, American attorney who worked on efforts to overturn 2020 election
  • Horace L. Friess (1900-1975), American ethicist, Joseph L. Buttenwieser Professor of Human Relations at Columbia University, and a Guggenheim Fellow
  • Donna Lewis Friess (b. 1943), American author and activist for children's rights
  • Foster Stephen Friess (1940-2021), American investment manager and prominent donor to the Republican Party and to Christian right causes
  • Jörg Friess (b. 1968), German triple-jumper at the 1990 European Championships
  • Aline Friess (b. 2003), French artistic gymnast who competed with the French teams at the 2019 World Championships, the 2020 Summer Olympics
  • Constance Friess Holman (1908-1999), American physician, "the first woman to become chief resident in medicine at New York Hospital"


  1. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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