Surname Vrie - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'V'
Vrie: What does the surname Vrie mean?
The last name Vrie is of Dutch origin, but its specific meaning is uncertain as it could have several interpretations depending on its historical and regional uses. One possible interpretation is that "Vrie" might be a shortened or anglicized version of "Vries," which in Dutch means "Frisian," signifying someone from Friesland, a region in the northern part of the Netherlands. However, it could also derive from the Dutch word "vrij" meaning "free," possibly indicating a status of free people, not bound by serfdom, in historical Dutch societies. Surnames can evolve over time and can be influenced by factors like migration, local dialects, and cultural assimilation, making it difficult to know the true meaning without a detailed genealogical study.
Order DNA origin analysisVrie: Where does the name Vrie come from?
The last name Vrie is most commonly found in The Netherlands, particularly in the northern provinces. It is also found in small numbers in Belgium, Germany, and France. Migration and emigration have spread the name to other countries, however, including the United States. The last name Vrie can now be found in North America, especially in large cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and Toronto.
In the United States, the last name Vrie is included in the top 2000 most common surnames. Most of those bearing the name are believed to be descended from the Dutch immigrants who first arrived in the American colonies during the mid-17th century. Descendants of those early Dutch settlers are now found throughout the U.S., with a particular concentration in parts of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.
Other countries where the last name Vrie is found include Canada; Australia; South Africa; and New Zealand. Throughout the world, it is estimated that there are over 40,000 people with the Vrie surname.
Variations of the surname Vrie
The surname Vrie is one of the various variants of the Friese (Dutch) name which originated from the lowlands near the Germanic-Dutch region of Friesland. It is also found in the Netherlands, England and Germany. The variants of Vrie include: Vrij, Vriel, Vree, Vrees, Vrey, Vre, Vriez, Freese, Fris, Preis, and Preiss.
In addition to the variants mentioned, the surname has some alternate spellings and surnames of the same origin. The alternate spellings for Vrie are Vre and Fri. As for the other surnames of similar origin, these include the variants Friese, Fritsch, Frizzell, Fritch, Freese, Fritsch, and Fritzke.
Vrie is also an anglicized version of the Dutch/Frisian given name Wrie, which was derived from the name of Wrycht, a Friesian fertility goddess. Thus Vrie can also be found as Wrie in Dutch/Frisian records. This name is usually translated as victory.
In the Netherlands, it is also common to find the phonetically similar prename/surname Vrees (which translates to 'fear'). It is worth noting that this may have been a distinct name that was later confused with Vrie, as certain records have indicated the two names were given to different individuals.
So, all in all, the surname Vrie can be found in various languages and forms, such as Vrij, Vriel, Vree, Vrees, Vrey, Vre, Vriez, Freese, Fris, Preis, Preiss, Wrie, Friese, Fritsch, Frizzell, Fritch, Freese, Fritsch, Fritzke, and Vrees.
Famous people with the name Vrie
- Eric Vrie: Actor who starred in the film adaptation of Russell Banks's novel Affliction in 1997.
- Wilco Vrie: Dutch speed skater who competed in the 1984 Winter Olympics.
- Tata Vrie: Indonesian actress and singer.
- Breda Vrie: Dutch curler who competed for the Netherlands at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
- Marieke Vrie: Dutch soprano singer.
- Owen Vrie: Belgian football player who plays for Kortrijk.
- Shelley Vrie: American freelance photographer.
- Menno Vrie: Dutch actor known for his work on films such as The Surprise (2015) and Love Is All You Need? (2016).
- Jan Vrie: Dutch former professional football player who played for Feyenoord.
- Lars Vrie: Dutch entrepreneur and investor.