Surname Freerichs - Meaning and Origin

Freerichs: What does the surname Freerichs mean?

The last name Freerichs is an occupational surname, derived from the German words "Frei" meaning "free," and "Reich," meaning "rich." As an occupational surname, it was likely created to indicate someone who was employed by a wealthy individual or institution, possibly a businessowner, steward, or manager.

The surname is likely to have been borne by various people throughout the Middle Ages. It was commonly found in areas of Germany, such as the Rhineland, Saxony, Bavaria, as well as regions of Poland. The use of this surname in the states has been recorded since the 17th century. It is unclear whether the name was adopted by early German immigrants to the United States, or whether it was simply overlooked until much later.

Today, the variant spellings of Freerichs, Freedricks, Freericks, and Freericks are all found stateside. It may still not be a particularly common name, but it is one that is gaining steady popularity. It shall continue to gain popularity due to a combination of its interesting origin and its visual aesthetics.

Freerichs: Where does the name Freerichs come from?

Freerichs is a German surname derived from the personal name Friedrich. According to the World Names Profiler, the surname Freerichs is concentrated mostly in Germany. In fact, it is most common in the Schleswig-Holstein region of Germany. It is also found in a few other countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, and the United States.

In Germany, Freerichs can mainly be found in the western part of the country, including the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Lower Saxony, and Berlin. Furthermore, it is relatively common in the cities of Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg. In addition to Germany, Freerichs can be found in some parts of the US, particularly in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, and California.

In the United States, Freerichs is a very rare name. According to the US Census Bureau, there were fewer than 200 individuals named Freerichs in the US in 2019. The majority of this population is concentrated in the states of California, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Overall, Freerichs is a rare name in most areas today. It is most concentrated in Germany, particularly in the Schleswig-Holstein region, and few US states, including Pennsylvania, New York, and California.

Variations of the surname Freerichs

Freerichs is an uncommon German surname that is derived from the Frei prefix, meaning “free” or “noble,” and the suffix Richs, meaning “ruler” or “ruler of riches.” The original spelling typically had a hyphen between the two terms, i.e. Frei-Richs.

Variations of the surname Freerichs include Freirichs, Freyreichs, Freirix, and Freyrichs. The root of the name could also be anglicized as Freyrick, Friarick, or Fryrick.

Surnames with similar origins to Freerichs include Friedrichs, Frydberg, Fridberg, and Frieder. These forms are more commonly seen in Germany and Central Europe and may be derived from a nickname or tribal name, such as “Frido” or “Fridrich,” both of which refer to “the peaceful ruler.”

Other variants of Freerichs are Frerich, Frie, Frey, and Freed. The root of these variants may also be Germanic and derived from “Freid” (“peace”) or “Freede” (“strong one”).

Additional variants of this surname are Friemrich, Frimrock, Freruby, Freraber, Freriegel, and Frerilich. These forms are not as common as the other forms and may be derived from the Middle High German Frei Margarethe, meaning “free church.”

Though each form of the surname Freerichs may have slight variations in spelling, the underlying meaning of the word stays the same: the “free ruler” or “ruler of riches.”

Famous people with the name Freerichs

• K.C. Freerichs: Los Angeles based jazz musician and composer.
• Barbara Freerichs: Sculptor known for her abstract bronzes and large outdoor commissions.
• Coast Guard Captain Rick Freerichs: The first and longest-serving commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy, which operated in the Arctic Ocean.
• Seth Freerichs: Award-winning indie filmmaker, writer and producer whose projects include the movie “Me & You.”
• Carsten Freerichs: German-born author and art historian, specializing in modern and contemporary art.
• Elizabeth Freerichs: Award-winning professor of communications at the University of Pittsburgh.
• Fernando Freerichs: Uruguayan football player, represented the Uruguay national team in the 1978 FIFA World Cup.
• Kim Freerichs: American home decor expert, television and radio personality, known for hosting the HGTV show “Kim’s Fabulous Finds.”
• Rhonda Freerichs: World renowned playwright and professor of theater at Swarthmore College.
• Zach Freerichs: CEO at the technology start-up CloudFour, also co-founder of the design-focused consultancy WebRamble.

Other surnames

Freericks