Freind Surname History

Origins Available:
England

The earliest origins of the family name Freind date back to the Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It was a name given to a person who was considered to be very good-natured and neighborly. The surname is derived from the Old English word frend which meant friend. During the Middle Ages people would use this word when they referred to their relatives or their kinsmen.

Early Origins of the Freind family

The surname Freind was first found in Somerset where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Freind family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Freind research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1297, 1667, 1669, 1675, 1683, 1696, 1714, 1715, 1728, 1745, 1751, 1754 and 1766 are included under the topic Early Freind History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Freind Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Freind include Friend, Freind, Frend and others.

Early Notables of the Freind family

Notables of the family at this time include

Sir John Friend (Freind) (died 1696), was an English conspirator arraigned for high treason at the Old Bailey, 23 March 1696, denied the assistance of counsel and executed at Tyburn 3 April 1696. (NBi...
John Freind (1675-1728), was an English physician and politician, a younger brother of Robert Freind, born at Croton (or Croughton), near Brackley in Northamptonshire, of which place his father, Willi...
Robert Freind (1667-1751), was head-master of Westminster School, eldest son of the Rev. William Freind. William Freind (1669-1745), was an English divine, brother to Robert Freind [q. v.] and John Fr...
William Freind (1715-1766), Dean of Canterbury, was baptised in Westminster Abbey, 10 March 1714, and was the son of Robert Freind (1667?-1754) [q. v.], head-master of Westminster School

Freind migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Freind Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Peter Freind, who arrived in Virginia in 1643 1
John Freind, who landed in New England in 1662 1

Freind Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Henry Freind, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1763 1

Freind Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Sam Freind, who landed in Texas in 1850 1
Henry Freind, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1853 1

Freind migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Freind Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Amy Freind, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Charles Freind, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)