Surname Fritts - Meaning and Origin
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Fritts: What does the surname Fritts mean?
Fritts is a surname of German origin, derived from the personal name "Friedrich," which is made up of the elements "fridu" meaning peace and "ric" meaning power. The name Friedrich was a popular personal name among ancient German royalty and aristocracy, symbolizing 'peaceful ruler' or 'ruler of peace.' This name became Anglicized to Frederick in English-speaking countries. Some sources highlight a regional influence in the name Fritts, suggesting it may specifically come from Northern Germany. Over time, variations in spelling due to dialect and illiteracy developed into distinct family names, with 'Fritts' being one of them. Like many surnames that originated from personal names, the surname Fritts would have likely started as a patronymic name — a surname derived from a father's forename. Overall, like most surnames, Fritts would have been used to differentiate individuals with the same given name in the same area.
Order DNA origin analysisFritts: Where does the name Fritts come from?
The surname Fritts is of German origin and is largely believed to be a patronymic name derived from the personal name Friedrich or Fredrick, meaning "peaceful ruler" in German. Alternately, it could be a locational name for individuals who lived by an area abundant with ash trees, as "Fritz" can also mean "ash" in Old High German.
Today, the name Fritts is more commonly found in the United States, with the highest concentrations in North Carolina and Tennessee. There is also significant presence of the Fritts surname in Ohio, California, and several other states. The introduction of the name to America likely occurred during the large scale migration of Europeans to the US during the 17th and 18th centuries.
However, apart from the United States, the name does not hold significant prevalence in other parts of the world, including Germany, which is its country of origin, making it less common globally.
Variations of the surname Fritts
The surname Fritts is considered to have multiple variations and derived from several origins, mainly German, Dutch, and Swiss. Some of the common variants of the surname Fritts are Fritz, Fridz, Fridds, Frittz, Frits, Fritzs, Frithz, and Fritzz. It is believed to be a nickname or occupational name from Middle High German “vrit(z)”, Old High German "fridu" or Old Dutch "fried" meaning "peace".
In terms of last names with the same origin, some related surnames to Fritts or Fritz include Friedrich, Fried, Friedel, Friederich, and Frid. These are all surnames that have roots in the same linguistic origins and share similar meanings.
Spelling variations are common in many surnames and were typically due to regional pronunciation and transcription variations, linguistic complications, and spelling changes over time. In the case of Fritts, Fritz, or other variants, in the early centuries, spelling in itself was not fully standardized, thus multiple spellings of a surname were often recorded in public records. These surname variants are found across many countries depending on the migration of families with the surname.
Famous people with the name Fritts
- Harold Fritts: An influential scientists in the field of dendrochronology, the study of tree rings.
- Larry Fritts: A former American football player.
- Edward Fritts: The former president of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB).
- Rob Fritts: A famous ceramicist known for his unique and experimental techniques in pottery.
- Donnie Fritts: A renowned American session musician and songwriter, noted for his work with Kris Kristofferson and his contribution to Muscle Shoals sound.
- John Fritts- A recognized American actor known for his roles in movies like The Deep End of the Ocean and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
- Richard Fritts: An American golfer who played in the PGA tour in the late 1960s.
- Mark Fritts: A well-known visual artist.
- Rod Fritts: An American television writer and producer.
- Mary Fritts: An acclaimed beauty expert and skin care specialist.
- Chris Fritts: A revered percussionist in the music industry.
- Bobby Fritts: An inducted member of Alabama Music Hall of Fame for his distinguished contribution to music.