Dutch term – Fries

16 July 2018 by Yvette Hoitink 3 Comments

Fries means Frisian; from Friesland. The word is used as a noun to indicate a person from Friesland, or as an adjective for all things Frisian.

For research in Friesland, try AlleFriezen, a website with many indexes and scans of Friesland records.

BTW, in English, “Frisian” is used as the general adjective for Fries, while “Friesian” is used for the horses. So don’t call someone a Friesian unless it’s a horse.

Couple in Frisian traditional costume, 1803-1809. Credits: Ludwig Gottlieb Portman, after C.F. Bounach, collection Rijksmuseum (public domain)

Filed Under: Dutch terms Tagged With: Friesland

About Yvette Hoitink

Yvette Hoitink, CG®, QG™ is a professional genealogist in the Netherlands. She holds the Certified Genealogist credential from the Board for Certification of Genealogists and has a post-graduate diploma in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee. She has been doing genealogy for over 30 years and helps people from across the world find their ancestors in the Netherlands. Read about Yvette's professional genealogy services.

Comments

LeonaA,erma says

28 July 2018 at 2:37 am

Would the surname de Vries be the same as this or a different meaning?

Reply
- Yvette Hoitink says
  
  28 July 2018 at 7:19 am
  
  That means “the Frisian,” yes.
  
  Reply
  - Nancy DeVries Adams says
    
    25 August 2018 at 11:59 pm
    
    Interesting – deVries is my maiden name and I didn’t know its meaning!
    
    Reply