Fritz
A German surname from the pet form of Friedrich, meaning “Frederick’s son” or “little Frederick.”
The #1,055 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 9,293 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Fritz is a German short form and diminutive of Friedrich, the German equivalent of Frederick. The name Friedrich itself goes back to Old High German elements meaning “peace” and “ruler,” so Fritz ultimately comes from that older personal name. In surname use, it often began as a patronymic or nickname-based family name derived from a bearer’s given name.
History
The historical sources consistently treat Fritz as a diminutive of Friedrich, and some also note related forms such as Fritze and Fritsch. It is especially common in German-speaking areas and also appears in Dutch- and Swiss-linked name traditions in related spellings. In English-language contexts, it is often recognized as a German surname rather than as an English one.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century surname scholars often grouped Fritz with a whole family of Friedrich nicknames, showing how many different regional forms could grow from one given name.
From the historical record
“friede, O.H.Ger. fridu, peace -|- mann] FRITZ (Ger.) a dim. oiFriedrich = Frederick, q.v. in Diet. FUCHS (Ger.) Fox [O.H.Ger. vuhs\ GASS "1 (Ger.) Street, Lane, Path [Ger. GASSE / gasse, O.H.Ger. gazza] GERHARD(T (Ger.) see Gerard in Diet.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)