frech

Frech is a surname of German origin. In German, frech means cheeky or impudent, and surnames often originate from nicknames that described a person’s character. The surname Frech may have arisen from such a nickname or from ancestral association with a place or family line, and it is most commonly found among German-speaking populations and their descendants.

The name is attested in Germany and Austria and appears among communities in other countries where German emigrants settled, including parts of North America and South Africa. It is carried by individuals across a range of professions, including academia, the arts, and sports, with no single bearer dominating public recognition.

As a linguistic note, Frech is distinct from the lowercased frech, the standard German adjective meaning “cheeky” or “bold.” The two forms share a root but function differently in language.