Surname Frederick - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'F'
Frederick: What does the surname Frederick mean?
The last name Frederick is derived from a German personal name, composed of the elements "frid" or "fred," meaning peace and "ric," meaning power or ruler. Therefore, Frederick essentially means "peaceful ruler" or "ruler of peace." It was a popular name amongst nobility and royalty in medieval Europe given its promise of peace and leadership. It made its way into Britain through its Germanic Anglo-Saxon invaders and remained popular through the Norman period. In modern times, it is not only used as a first name, but has also evolved to become a surname or a family name for many.
Order DNA origin analysisFrederick: Where does the name Frederick come from?
The surname Frederick is of Germanic origin, derived from the personal name Frederick. The name itself is a composite of two Old High German words—"fridu" meaning "peace" and "ric" indicating "ruler,"— thus signifying a peaceful ruler.
Introduced in Britain by the Normans, it gained popularity among the Saxons during the Middle Ages. Many German immigrants later brought the name to America, where it was Anglicized into various forms such as Fredrick, Fredrich, Fredrik, etc.
Today, the surname is common in the United States, which holds the majority of the world's Frederick population. Other countries with a high prevalence include England and Canada—in terms of descending order. Although its origins are Germanic, the name isn't as frequent in Germany as one might assume because surnames in Germany evolved differently, often based on occupations or geographical locations.
In various cultures and languages, the name has different spellings and variations. It is Fridrich in Czech, Federigo in Italian, and Frederick in Danish and Norwegian, to name a few.
Variations of the surname Frederick
The surname Frederick has several variants and derived spellings due to the cultural and linguistic variations. The common variants and spellings include Fredrick, Fredrik, Frederic, Frederik, Friedrich, Frederich, Federico and Frédéric.
There are also related surnames or those of the same origin such as Fredericks, Fredericksen, Fredrickson, and Friedrichsen. These names essentially carry the same meaning of "peaceful ruler," originating from Old High German fridu “peace” and ric “ruler”. In various languages and cultures, the name has been localised to fit phonetic and spelling norms.
For example, in Italian it's Federico; in French, it is Frédéric; in German, it is Friedrich; in Dutch, it is Frederik; in Spanish, it is Federico; in Danish and Norwegian, it is Frederik; and in Swedish, it is Fredrik.
However, it's important to note that not all variations or similar spellings necessarily originate from the same root name. Each variant may have distinct histories and meanings in various cultures and languages.
Famous people with the name Frederick
- Kevin J. Frederick: US military veteran and Chief Master Sergeant in the Air Force.
- Pauline Frederick: An American journalist, first woman to moderate a US Presidential debate.
- Robert Frederick: Senior Vice President at Amazon.
- Ryan Frederick: Professional mixed martial artist from the United States.
- Travis Frederick: American retired football center who played in the National Football League (NFL).
- Suzanne Frederick: American actress, known for her work in The Kane Files: Life of Trial.
- Lisa Frederick: Known for her work on Dinosaur and The Prince of Egypt.
- Keith Frederick: Former member of the Missouri House of Representatives.
- Barbara Frederick: Former first lady of Wyoming.
- Laura Frederick: American production designer and art director.
- Toby Frederick: Noted for his work in special effects in the film industry.
- Jason Frederick: Known for his work in sound department in Hollywood.
- Donald Frederick: Renowned American plant biologist.
- Chase Frederick: A rising figure in the world of golf.
- John Frederick: A recognised figure from the education field, specifically the University of Nevada.