Show ContentsFrisch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Frisch

What does the name Frisch mean?

Similar to many German family names, the distinguished surname Frisch 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 Frisch 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 Frisch family

The surname Frisch 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 Frisch family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Frisch 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 Frisch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Frisch Spelling Variations

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

Early Notables of the Frisch family

Prominent bearers of the family name Frisch at this time were

  • Nikodemus Frischlin (1547-1590), a great humanist, who traveled throughout Europe

Frisch Ranking

In the United States, the name Frisch is the 7,981st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


Frisch migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Frisch Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johan Frisch, who arrived in New York in 1709 2
  • Johann Gasper Frisch, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1793 2
Frisch Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Joh. Peter Frisch, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Washington"
  • William Frisch, who arrived in Iowa in 1887 2
  • Peter Frisch, aged 29, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1893 2
  • Johann Frisch, aged 23, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1893 2
Frisch Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Jacob Frisch, who landed in New York, NY in 1902 2
  • August Frisch, who landed in Wisconsin in 1923 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Frisch (post 1700) +

  • Frankie Frisch (1898-1973), American Major League Baseball player
  • David H. Frisch (1918-1991), American physicist
  • David Frisch Jr. (b. 1970), American football player
  • John Frisch (b. 1871), American politician, Member of Minnesota State House of Representatives 2nd District, 1917-18; Member of Minnesota State Senate 2nd District, 1923-26 3
  • Johan Dalgas Frisch (1930-2024), Brazilian engineer and ornithologist
  • Otto Robert Frisch (1904-1979), Austrian-British physicist who co-designed the first theoretical mechanism for the detonation of an atomic bomb in 1940
  • Max Frisch (1911-1991), Swiss architect, playwright, and novelist
  • Karl von Frisch (1886-1982), Austrian ethnologist who received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1973
  • Irene Frisch, Holocaust survivor and author

HMAS Sydney II
  • Mr. Ernest Dudley Frisch (1920-1941), Australian Able Seaman from Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 4


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  4. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp


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