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| Origins Available: |
| | Germany |
The Vrey surname comes from the Middle High German word "vri," meaning "free," and as a name, it referred to a free man, as opposed to a bondsman or serf in the feudal system.
The surname Vrey was first found in Bavaria, where the name Frey came from humble beginnings but eventually gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the region's medieval society. The family later became more prominent as many branches of the family acquired distant estates which elevated in turn their social status.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vrey research. Another 54 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1855 and 1920 are included under the topic Early Vrey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Vrey include Frey, Freye, Frei, Freie, Frie, Fraie, Vrey, Vreye, Vrei, Vreie and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Vrey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Thousands of German settlers came to North America between the mid-17th and mid-20th centuries. The hardships of the long voyage were balanced by the opportunity to escape poverty and religious persecution. The descendents of these settlers still populate the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also live in Ontario and the prairie provinces of Canada. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Vrey or a variant listed above: John Frie, who settled in New England in 1638; Anna Barbara Frey, who arrived in New York City with her two children in 1709; Hans Ulrich Frie, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1729.