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Fries Family History

Fries Surname Meaning

German, Dutch, Jewish (from the Netherlands), Danish, and Swedish: ethnic name for someone from Friesland province in the Netherlands and a region in northwestern Germany, in the Middle Ages part of the larger northwest region Fresia. This form of the surname is rare in the Netherlands but very common in Germany. Compare De Fries and De Vries.

German, Dutch, Danish, and Swedish: from the personal name Friso, which refers to the ethnic name (see 1 above). South German: occupational name for a builder of dams and dikes.

The word was used in this sense in various parts of Germany and Switzerland during the Middle Ages, and is perhaps a transferred use of the ethnic term, dike building being a characteristic occupation of Frieslanders.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Fries family from?

You can see how Fries families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Fries family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Fries families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 12 Fries families living in Yorkshire. This was about 21% of all the recorded Fries's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Fries families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Fries surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Fries ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Licensed Victualler and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Fries. 100% of Fries men worked as a Licensed Victualler and 90% of Fries women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Fries | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Licensed Victualler
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    90%
  • Domestic Servant
    11%

What Fries family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 40,000 census records available for the last name Fries. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Fries census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Fries

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Fries. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Fries immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 15,000 military records available for the last name Fries. For the veterans among your Fries ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Fries military records

You've only scratched the surface of Fries family history

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What is the average Fries lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Fries life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Fries in 1944 was 23, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Fries

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Fries ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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