Surname Freesen - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'F'
Freesen: What does the surname Freesen mean?
Freesen is a Germanic surname. The original bearer of the surname likely had a connection to a Middle Low German word meaning “free” or “freeholder”, indicative of a person who owned his or her own land. It may have also been derived from “fres”, which is an archaic word meaning “strong” or “brave”.
In the Middle Ages, Freesen was a popular name among the landed gentry in the northern part of Germany in what is now present-day Bremen, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Schleswig-Holstein. At that time, many of the people who bore this name tended to own considerable amounts of land, as opposed to their less affluent neighbours.
The Freesen surname is commonly found in the United States and in parts of the United Kingdom, particularly Liverpool and Scotland. It is especially prevalent in the province of Groningen in the Netherlands, where it is frequently found as “Freeseman” or “Freesing”.
In addition to its origins as a surname, Freesen can also refer to a region in northern Germany, a small hill in Norway, and a type of clay soil. It can also indicate a color of horse or a type of landscape.
Order DNA origin analysisFreesen: Where does the name Freesen come from?
The surname Freesen is most commonly found in parts of northern Germany and the Netherlands today. In Germany, the earliest known Freesens can be traced to the region of East Frisia in Lower Saxony. This area is renowned for its long history of seafaring and shipbuilding, which made it an attractive area for the numerous settlers who arrived in the region in the Middle Ages.
In addition, Freesen is a fairly common surname in the modern Netherlands. While historically concentrated in the northern Dutch provinces, today the name is spread and can be found scattered throughout the country. In contrast to Germany, the Freesen family in the Netherlands likely experienced much more migration throughout the 20th century, with many families moving away from the rural areas and towards the cities.
The surname Freesen is also found in the United States, particularly in the states of Wisconsin, New York, and Pennsylvania. These states were popular immigration destinations for Germans in the 19th and early 20th centuries. They had also quickly become popular gateways for Dutch settlers, who established sizable communities around port cities in New York, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
Even today, the Freesen surname continues to be rather widespread in Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. There are variations and distinct spellings of the surname, though at its core, the Freesen family is unified by its common history and origin.
Variations of the surname Freesen
The surname Freesen is of Dutch origin and there are several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common variations of the surname Freesen include Freesman, Freesmann, Freesemann, and Freese. Occasionally the spelling of Freesen may appear with a double S after either the first or second ‘e’ and sometimes may be written as Friesen or Friesman.
In addition to these variations, the surname Freesen is also found in several different spellings in languages other than English. In the German language, Freesen is spelled Freisen, Friesen, or Fressen. In the Danish language the spelling of Freesen is derived from the German spelling, and is spelled Freisen or Friesen. Additionally, the Swedish dialect of the language is spelled Friesen, and in the Dutch language the surname Freesen is spelled Vreesen.
Beyond the variations of Freesen there are also surnames of the same origin, such as Friesema, Fressen, and Fressmann, though usage of these surnames are much less common than the variations of Freesen.
In summary, the surname Freesen has several common spelling variations throughout the different countries it is found in, as well as surnames of the same origin. The most common forms of the surname Freesen include Freesman, Freesmann, Freesemann, Freese, Freisen, and Friesen.
Famous people with the name Freesen
- Carolyn Freesen: Carolyn Freesen is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the PWHPA (Professional Women's Hockey Players Association). She currently plays with the Dream Gap Tour and competes at the top professional level in the United States and Canada.
- Olaf Freesen: Olaf Freesen is a German lawyer and former diplomat. After practicing law for several years, he served in the German Embassy in the United States from 1967 until his retirement in 1990.
- John Freesen: John Freesen is an American actor best known for his role as Reverend Preston Todd Johnson in the television series "7th Heaven". He has also appeared in films, such as "Die Hard With a Vengeance" and "Maid in Manhattan".
- George Freesen: George Freesen is a former professional golfer who won seven PGA professional golf tournaments from 1962 to 1973.
- Sylvia Freesen: Sylvia Freesen is a German politician. She was the first female mayor of the city of Stadthagen from 2005 to 2011.