Show ContentsFriske History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Similar to many German family names, the distinguished surname Friske is a proud sign of a rich and ancient ancestry. The earliest forms of hereditary surnames in Germany were the patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name. German patronymic names emerged as early as the mid-9th century and the most common patronymic suffix is "-ez." The patronyms were derived from a variety of given names that were of many different origins. The surname Friske is derived from the Old German personal name Friedrich, which is composed of the elements "fridu" meaning "peace" or "safety", and "rihhi," meaning "powerful."

Early Origins of the Friske family

The surname Friske was first found in Saxony, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century on the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.

Early History of the Friske family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Friske research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1547, 1590, 1629, 1665, 1701, 1730, 1742 and 1775 are included under the topic Early Friske History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Friske Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Frisch, Frische, Fritsch, Fritsche, Fritschl, Frischi (Switzerland) and many more.

Early Notables of the Friske family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Friske Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Friske migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Friske Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Friske, who arrived in Virginia in 1658 1
Friske Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • J. Friske, who settled in Texas in 1858
Friske Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Emil Friske, who settled in Minnesota in 1900

Contemporary Notables of the name Friske (post 1700) +

  • Donald Friske (b. 1961), American former Wisconsin Republican politician and legislator
  • Richard Friske (b. 1923), American politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives 106th District, 1971-72; American Independent Candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 10th District, 1972 2
  • Karl Friske, American politician, Representative from Michigan 4th District, 1976; American Independent Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1976 2
  • Jeanna Vladimirovna Friske (1974-2015), known by the stage name Zhanna Friske, a Russian actress, singer, model, and socialite
  • Pat Friske, Australian producer, best known for his 2011 documentary Scarlet Road, a Walkley Documentary Award finalist


  1. 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)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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