Surname DeFreest - Meaning and Origin
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DeFreest: What does the surname DeFreest mean?
The last name DeFreest is a habitational name which comes from a location in The Netherlands. The original bearers of this name lived in DeFreest, a small hamlet in the Northeastern province of Drenthe. Although the hamlet is now part of the municipality of Emmen, it can be traced back to medieval times.
DeFreest is derived from the Dutch words ‘de’ meaning ‘of’ and ‘frees’ which means ‘ditch’. The combination of these words produces ‘defrees’, with the ‘t’ being added at the end of the word, making it ‘DeFreest’. The original meaning of the name was simply ‘of the ditch’, referring to the presence of a ditch in the original landholding.
The first recorded use of the surname can be traced back to around 1460 in the form of Adriaen Aertssen of Defrees. As the surname grew in popularity, it became more commonly known as DeFreest. This is the form that is still commonly used today by its many descendants.
The DeFreest surname is now scattered over many countries and continents, pointing to the long history of the family and its shaky but persistent hold in the modern world. Although some bearers of the surname may no longer be aware of its origins, for many it is a source of luck, history and pride.
Order DNA origin analysisDeFreest: Where does the name DeFreest come from?
The last name DeFreest is most commonly found in the United States, particularly in New York State. The surname is of Dutch origin and was brought to the United States by Dutch settlers in the 17th and 18th centuries. The name is still prevalent in the Hudson Valley area, where many of the original Dutch settlers lived.
Today, the last name DeFreest can also be found in other parts of the United States, particularly in the Midwest and along the East Coast. According to the 2000 US Census, more than 8,000 individuals share the DeFreest name, making it the 848th most common last name in the United States.
Due to its Dutch roots, the DeFreest name is also popular in Canada, particularly in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. There were more than 1,500 people in Canada sharing the name in the 2016 Canadian Census.
The surname can also be found overseas, particularly in the Netherlands, where it is likely to have originated. A search of Dutch phone books finds more than 2,500 individuals sharing the DeFreest name. The Netherlands is the most likely homeland of the original Dutch DeFreest settlers who made their way to the United States.
Variations of the surname DeFreest
The surname DeFreest is a patronymic surname, meaning that it is composed of a prefix meaning ‘of’ and a root word denoting a parent’s forename. It can be spelled many ways such as "Defrees," "DeFrees," "DeFreese," "DeFreesse," and "DeFresse," and rare variants include "De Freese," "DeFres," "DeFreys," and "DeFryes."
Originally derived from Middle Dutch "van Vries," meaning "from Frisia," the main variants of DeFreest are most likely "DeFreeze" and "DeVries." "DeFreeze" is a Dutch form of the surname, with "Freeze" being derived from Middle Dutch phrase "van Vries." "DeVries" is a Dutch form of the same surname, with "Vries" meaning “fries” which refers to someone who comes from Frisia.
Surnames derived from DeFreest include "DeFrees," which is an anglicized version of the original Dutch surname, as well as "DeFreeser" and "DeFreesman," which denote someone who is a descendant of DeFreeze. There are also variants such as "DeFresne" and "Defrank" that are derived from the surname, however, these are much rarer and are more likely a changed spelling of the original surname.
Finally, there are distant variants such as "Frasier," "Fraze," "Frazier" and "Frazer," which most likely originated from an anglicized version of the surname.
In conclusion, the surname DeFreest has many different variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin, which can include "DeFreeze," "DeVries," "DeFrees," "DeFreeser," "Defrank," "DeFresne," "Frasier,""Fraze," "Frazier," and "Frazer."
Famous people with the name DeFreest
- Carleton DeFreest: American actor and screenwriter best known for his roles in films such as Raging Bull and Slappy and the Stinkers.
- Anna DeFreest: Award winning cinematographer best known for her work in television series such as Westworld, Grace and Frankie, and The Mindy Project.
- Edgar DeFreest: American artist who painted portraits of prominent figures in the 19th century such as Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.
- Jay DeFreest: American musician and songwriter, best known for his work with bands such as The Smiths and The Cure.
- Joe DeFreest: American baseball pitcher who played for multiple professional teams in the early 1900s.
- Irvin DeFreest: American Federal judge who served on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York from 1984 to 2006.
- Pierre DeFreest: Prominent 18th century Dutch businessman who owned sugar plantations in the Caribbean.
- Steve DeFreest: American record producer, engineer, and mixer whose credits include artists such as Peter Gabriel, The Police, and Bob Dylan.
- Abigail DeFreest: American poet and academic whose works have received honors and awards from the Academy of American Poets.
- Chantal DeFreest: Canadian playwright and stage director whose productions have been showcased at various international theatre festivals.