Surname Feris - Meaning and Origin
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Feris: What does the surname Feris mean?
The last name Feris is of Spanish origin and is thought to have developed from a combination of two elements: the Latin word ferrum ‘iron’ and the Latin word vassus ‘servant’. The combination of these two elements suggests it was likely originally used to refer to a blacksmith or a smith's apprentice.
Given its origin, the meaning of the last name Feris is likely related to services or work with steel or iron. It can also suggest someone who works with metals in some capacity, possibly as a tradesperson, possibly a blacksmith or perhaps even a metalsmith or a jeweler. In some cases it might even refer to a warrior or soldier, as many battles in Ancient Greece and Rome were fought using iron weapons and armor.
The surname Feris is still common in many Spanish-speaking countries. It might also be found in countries with Spanish heritage, such as Mexico and parts of the United States.
The Feris family name is associated with many historical figures, such as French playwright Paul Feris and Spanish doctor and author Emilia Feris. The name has also been used in literature, such as in J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy novel “The Lord of the Rings” where Aragorn’s father was named Arathorn III of the house of Feris.
This name has held a long and varied history, and as it continues to spread throughout the world it will likely never fully know its true origin. Yet no matter where it is found, the last name Feris will always be linked to someone who works with steel and iron or someone who serves their community.
Order DNA origin analysisFeris: Where does the name Feris come from?
The surname Feris is most commonly found in Latin America, especially in countries like Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay. It is also prevalent in the Mediterranean area, particularly in Crete, Greece and Malta. Feris is also present in Caribbean countries such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. Smaller populations of Feris bearers can be found in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
The derivation of the Feris surname is thought to be primarily from the Greek language. It is originally derived from the term ‘feros’, which means ‘strong’ or ‘valiant’. This term was believed to have been used to honor strong or successful leaders of a community. It is also speculated that the surname Feris was derived from ‘fierro’, which corresponds to the English term ‘iron’ and may have referenced a family that had steel-working skills.
The distribution of those with the Feris surname is highly concentrated in Central America and parts of Europe. Those with the Feris surname are spread around the world but the largest concentrations are located in South and Central America, as well as in the Mediterranean.
Variations of the surname Feris
The surname FERIS has numerous variants, spellings, and derivations across different languages.
In French, the surnames Féris/Férisse/Férise/Faris/Frise possibly derive from the Latin word "ferrea", meaning "iron". Faire/Fayre/Fayris/Fayresse and Favier/Favierre are also variants.
In Dutch, the surnames Fier/Fiers/Fijer/Fijers are derivatives.
In Italian, it appears as Ferri/Ferro/Ferretti.
In Polish, it's spelled as Ferys/Fryc/Frycz and in Czech, Feriš/Ferišová/Ferys are variants.
In Spanish and Portuguese, variants are Férez/Férez/Ferréz/Ferres.
In German, it becomes Fehrisch/Fehrische/Fehrish/Fehriss/Fehris and in Hungarian, Ferinczei/Feri/Ferenci.
Additionally, variants of FERIS in Hebrew are Fersh/Ferrsch/Ferich/Ferris and in Yiddish, Fersch/Fersh/Ferschowitz/Ferishowtiz. Fortunatey/Fortuney/Fortuney/Fortunia are Hungarian, Romanian, and Italian variants, respectively.
Finally, the variant surnames in Russian include Ferices/Ferichev/Fericheva.
Overall, all the variants of FERIS are related with some degree of phonetic similarity or are derived from a common origin. Each form is likely to have experienced changes during its lifetime due to historical and regional influences, yielding the many different spellings.
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Famous people with the name Feris
- Michelle Ferris: a Broadway performer who has appeared in numerous productions, such as "Frozen", "Aladdin", and "Cats".
- Juanita Ferris: an American animator and director who has worked on shows such as "The Fairly OddParents" and "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog".
- John C. Ferris: an American television and film director who won an Emmy Award for his work on the miniseries "The Robe".
- Ashley Ferris: an American athlete who competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics in the track and field events.
- Robert E. Ferris: an American diplomat who served as the ambassador to Tunisia from 1977 to 1979.
- Timothy Ferris: an American science writer and author of several well-known books, including "Coming of Age in the Milky Way", "The Whole Shebang", and "Seeing in the Dark".
- Lynn Ferris: an American actress and director who has appeared on television shows such as "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Blue Bloods", as well as in the films "Snake Eyes" and "Star Trek Beyond".
- J. Christopher Ferris: an American entrepreneur and venture capitalist who was a co-founder of TechNet and a general partner of Flatiron Partners.
- Steve Ferris: an American musician who is the lead singer of the rock band "The Residents".
- Ken Ferris: an American journalist and author of several books, including "The Power Broker: The Life and Times of Robert Moses".