Surname Frehde - Meaning and Origin
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Frehde: What does the surname Frehde mean?
The last name Frehde is a German surname, likely found in the North-Rhine Westphalia region of Germany. It is believed to come from the Old German word "frithu", which means peace.
A possible literal meaning of the surname could be “from the peaceful place". Frehde could also be of toponymic origin referring to a place where the family originated. In this case, the name could refer to the town of Frehde located in Germany's Bremen district.
The name Frehde was first found in the Pomeranian area where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. The name was later found in Hamburg and East and West Prussia. The Frehde family was among the many groups of immigrants in the 18th century who settled in the provinces of Brandenburg and Pomerania.
The name has also spread to other countries over the years. For instance, Frehde is relatively common in the Netherlands, particularly in the provinces of Groningen and Friesland.
Overall, the last name Frehde has an old-world German origin that likely refers to a peaceful place of origin for its early bearers. The name has spread widely since then and is now prevalent in other regions of the world.
Order DNA origin analysisFrehde: Where does the name Frehde come from?
The last name Frehde is most predominantly found in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. In Germany, it is mainly found in the state of Lower Saxony and is one of the top 500 surnames. In Switzerland, Frehde is the 158th most common surname and is mainly found in the cantons of Basel and Zürich. In Austria, it is the 516th most popular surname and is primarily located in the western regions of the country. It is also a popular name in the US, where it is among the top 5,000 surnames, and is mostly concentrated in the Midwest and on the East Coast.
Despite its prevalence in Europe, the origin of the name Frehde remains unknown. Some speculate that it is derived from an old German word meaning “by the meadow.” Alternatively, it is also linked to the German word “fröhliche”, meaning “knowing how to be happy.”
The popularity of the surname Frehde has increased in recent years, due to the improved quality of life and increased economic prosperity in Europe. This, coupled with higher levels of migration, has seen the name spread across the continent and beyond. For example, Frehde has recently gained prominence in the Middle East, especially in countries like the United Arab Emirates.
Overall, the surname Frehde today remains most common in Europe, particularly Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Despite this, it is increasingly establishing a presence in other regions as well, thanks to a combination of factors.
Variations of the surname Frehde
The surname Frehde has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants of Frehde are Fride, Freide, Freude, Fradie, Frehde, Fraide, and Freid. All of these spellings are derived from the German word “freude” which means joy and happiness.
The spelling Frehde can also be found in surname variants such as Frehden, Frehd, Frehling, Frehe, Froid, Frehlein, Fraidell, Frehdell, Frehdt, Frehder, Freidt, Frieder, Freidle, Freidl, Freidel, and Fridell.
Other surnames of the same origin with different spellings are Freysinger, Freyser, Freising, Friedrichs, Frieman, Friemann, Frey, Freilich, Freiman, Freimann, Frieder, Freidel, Freitag and Freij.
Variant spellings of Frehde are also found in Scotland, the Netherlands and other countries. Some variations include Frie, Freyd, Frude, and Fryd. An alternative spelling of Frehde is Frehdel or Freudel.
In Swedish, the surname Frehde can be found as Fruhde. There is also the Czech spelling of Frejda.
In some cases, the surname Frehde has been modified to other surnames, like Frede, Freue and Fredes.
Overall, the name Frehde is a variation of the German word “Freude”, which stands for joy and happiness. Although this surname has multiple spellings and variants, all of them have the same meaning and origin.
Famous people with the name Frehde
- Albert Frehde: Albert Frehde was a German conductor and composer who achieved fame as a conductor of the Berlin State Opera.
- Maximilian Frehde: Maximilian Frehde was a German military historian who wrote works on the Hanseatic League and Prussian military history.
- Georg Frehde: Georg Frehde was a German mathematician whose work focused on analytic geometry.
- John Frehde: John Frehde was an accomplished American neurologist from Chicago, Illinois who is known for his work in neurology and neurosurgery.
- Gisela Frehde: Gisela Frehde was a German actress and cabaret performer who appeared in numerous films, notably the 1959 horror classic Horror Hotel.
- Emilie Frehde: Emilie Frehde was a German textile artist who designed the interiors of some of Cardiff’s most iconic houses.
- Gustav Frehde: Gustav Frehde was a German-American revolutionary writer and founder of the Free Socialist Republic in the 19th century.
- Hermann Frehde: Hermann Frehde was a German mathematician and physicist who formulated a system of equations describing the elastic properties of materials.
- Erich Frehde: Erich Frehde was a German violinist and composer who was active in Berlin during the Weimar Republic.
- Alfred Frehde: Alfred Frehde was a noted German physicist who was credited with developing the first vacuum pump.