FRIEDMAN
Friedman is a surname of German origin that has been adopted by Ashkenazi Jewish communities since the 17th century. The name is also associated with Swiss and French lineages, and it has been used by Jewish families speaking Hebrew.
The etymology of the surname is based on the German words fried and man(n). The former comes from a pre‑8th‑century root meaning “peace”, while the latter can be translated as servant, friend, or follower. The combination has historically been understood to denote a person who serves or follows peace. The name was originally used as a baptismal term of endearment and, in later usage, could also mean a “strong youth”.
The German word fried is closely related to the variant friede, also meaning peace. According to contemporary interpretations, the surname is patronymic, identifying descendants of a man who was, or whose name was, Friedman. The name likely began as a Jewish nickname or given name that reflected a desire for peace and tranquillity.
Variations in spelling include Fridman, Friedmann, Friedeman, Fridmann and, in France, Frydman. None of these forms have been recorded in Britain, and the English word freeman is unrelated to this surname.
The earliest documented spelling is that of Josephus Fridman, dated 22 January 1686. He married Margaretha Ernst in Baden, Germany, during the reign of Emperor Leopold I of the Holy Roman Empire (1658‑1705). Other early German church records include the baptism of Johanna Sybilla Friedmann at Mittelsaida, Sachsen, on 21 May 1739, and the christening of Johan Georg Friedman at Herbertingen, Donakreis, Hessen, on 15 April 1848.
In the United States, the surname is one of the most common. In 1965 it ranked 17th in New York City. Americans with the name include Adam Friedman, a witness at Douglaston Zion Episcopal Church, Queens, New York, on 1 June 1862, and Lillian Freedman, daughter of Henry Freedman, baptised at Queens, Brooklyn, New York, on 19 August 1894.
The coat of arms granted in Basel, Switzerland, for the Friedman family features a white lamb trippant on a blue field, an unmistakable visual reference to the meaning of peace that underpins the name.
Due to its roots in German, Swiss and French naming traditions and its adoption by Ashkenazi Jews, the surname Friedman has become widespread among Jewish communities worldwide. Its historical records, heraldic symbols and linguistic clues provide solid evidence for its origin and evolution, without reliance on conjecture or speculation.
Typical given names associated with the Friedman surname
Male
- Andrew
- Daniel
- David
- Israel
- Jonathan
- Joseph
- Mark
- Menachem
- Michael
- Peter
Female
- Anna
- Caroline
- Elizabeth
- Esther
- Hannah
- Irene
- Katie
- Miriam
- Philippa
- Rachel
- Sara
- Sarah
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Friedman in...
Braille
⠋⠗⠊⠑⠙⠍⠁⠝
Morse
..-..-....-..--.--.
Semaphore
There are approximately 495 people named Friedman in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around eight in a million people in Britain are named Friedman.
Religion of origin: Jewish
Language of origin: Hebrew
Famous people named Friedman
- Milton Friedman - American economist, statistician, and writer (1912 to 2006)
- Maria Friedman - Actress
- Maxwell Jacob Friedman - American professional wrestler
- For other people with a similar name see Lawrence Friedman - Catholic priest and a Benedictine monk
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.