The presitigious surname Dreifuss is a symbol of an ancient Jewish heritage. Before the late Middle Ages, people were known only by a single name. However, as the population increased and travelers set out on their journeys, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves. Jewish hereditary surnames were adopted from a variety of different sources. The surname Dreifuss is a Western Ashkenazic habitational surname, from the town of Trier on the Moselle. A modern interpretation of the derivation of this surname associates it with the German word dreifuss, which means tripod. The derivation as a habitational surname, however, is more probable.
Germany
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