Frederick Last Name: Meaning and Heraldic Roots

Frederick is best understood together with Friedrich: both are German spellings of a single family name. Taken at its root, Frederick points to “Peaceful ruler”.

• Spellings drifted because names were written down by ear in parish books, tax rolls and passenger lists.
• Other spellings include Friedrichs and Fritz.
• Before spelling was fixed, Friedrich was also written Frederick.

Frederick coat of arms

Looking for a Frederick coat of arms? Arms were granted to families, not to surnames, and our research shows which heraldic tradition fits yours. Want more than a summary? See the Frederick family name pack.