Recorded in the spellings of Fruss, Fruish, Fruche, Fruchon, Fruchard, Frugier, and Fruitier, this is a surname of medieval French origins. It is usually considered to be occupational, and to describe a seller of fruit, however occasionally it may be locational from residence by a fruit orchard. The name when found in English speaking countries is almost certainly of Huguenot protestant emigrant origins, and probably 17th century, although the date is open to some conjecture. Certainly the name is well recorded in London church registers from the 18th century. French registers have suffered destruction over the centuries, and recordings there are more difficult to find. During the Revolution of 1789 - 1794, the church in all its manifestations was banned, and "registers" were regarded with considerable suspicion as being instruments of the secret police. At any opportunity they were destroyed by the prolitariat. However we have been able to obtain some examples of the recordings both in the registers of France and England. These examples include Renee Fruchau, at the town of Moze, Maine-et-Loire, on October 1st 1707, Mary Fruss, who married James Cross at the church of St Katherine's by the Tower (of London), on August 24th 1732, and James Fruish, who married Alice Gerrard at the church of St John, the Baptist, Shoreditch, on September 6th 1875. The first known recording is that of Marie Jeanne Fruict, who marrried Pierre Cordeau at the city of Lille, France, on July 24th 1668.

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