Vries History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
Germany

The surname Vries is name that may have a few different sources. In some instances it is derived from the name of the region of Friesland, and would refer to someone who came from that region. Friesland is located on the coast of the North Sea, and stretches from the Netherlands in the east to Denmark in the north. In the Swabian-Swiss dialects, the word "friesen" means "to dig ditches," and the name may have derived from the occupation of its original bearer.

Early Origins of the Vries family

The surname Vries was first found in Switzerland, where the name was an integral part of the feudal society which would shape modern European history. Many prominent branches of the family would strive to make this name renowned as they contributed to the social, economic and political affairs of the region.

Early History of the Vries family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vries research. Another 409 words (29 lines of text) covering the years 1409, 1578, 1592, 1653, 1702, 1703, 1705, 1752, 1757, 1763, 1783, 1785 and 1825 are included under the topic Early Vries History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vries Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Friesen, Fries, Friese, Freese, Frees, Freesen, Frehse, Frese, Fresen, Fresenius (Latin), Frieser, Friess, Friesse and many more.

Early Notables of the Vries family

Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Vries Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vries Ranking

In Netherlands, the name Vries is the 268^th most popular surname with an estimated 5,294 people with that name. 1

Vries migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Vries Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Hans Vries, who arrived in America in 1663 2
Vresen Vries, who landed in New Netherland(s) in 1663 2

Vries Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Vries, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 2
Simon Vries, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754 2
Jacob Vries, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1754 2

Vries Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Gosse De Vries, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 2
Broer De Vries, who landed in Iowa in 1855 2
Arie De Vries, who landed in Iowa in 1868 2
Aukje De Vries, who arrived in Iowa in 1869 2
Hendrik De Vries, who landed in Iowa in 1869 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Vries (post 1700) +

Bernice T. Van der Vries (b. 1890), American Republican politician, Member of Illinois State House of Representatives 7th District, 1935-42 3
Marion De Vries (1865-1939), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from California 2nd District, 1897-1900; Judge of U.S. Customs Court, 1900-10; Judge of U.S. Court of Customs Appeals, 1910-21 4

Citations +

"Most Common Last Names in Netherlands." Forebears, https://forebears.io/netherlands/surnames
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html