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Friesen Family History

Friesen Surname Meaning

German and Dutch: patronymic from Fries.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Friesen family from?

You can see how Friesen families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Friesen family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Friesen families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1911 there were 314 Friesen families living in Manitoba. This was about 61% of all the recorded Friesen's in Canada. Manitoba had the highest population of Friesen families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Friesen surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Friesen ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Student were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Friesen. 67% of Friesen men worked as a Farmer and 14% of Friesen women worked as a Student. Some less common occupations for Americans named Friesen were Laborer and Housework.

View Census Data for Friesen | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    67%
  • Farmers Son
    7%
  • Labourer
    6%
  • Laborer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Student
    14%
  • Fathers Farm
    11%
  • Farmers Buyer
    11%
  • Housework
    11%

What Friesen family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 42,000 census records available for the last name Friesen. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Friesen census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Friesen

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Friesen. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Friesen immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Friesen. For the veterans among your Friesen ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Friesen military records

You've only scratched the surface of Friesen family history

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What is the average Friesen lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Friesen life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1957, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Friesen in 1955 was 60, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Friesen

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Friesen ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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