[1] At the end of the 13th century, Westphalian aristocrats, among them also members of the Frydags, moved to Prussia and Livonia to fight with and in the Teutonic Order for the spread of Christianity.

By marrying in 1574 with the heiress of the Gödens Castle in East Frisia, the Frydag's gained great prestige and wealth.

In addition, the general Hugo von Freytag-Loringhoven is cited more frequently as a military writer on questions of the Worlar.

The Baltic born members of the family lead as part of the name the former predicate "Baron", provided that no substitution was made by "Freiherr".

In 1326, a Goswin of Datteln[3] called Fridag, was sealed with the Heraldric Coat of arms, consisting of Three Rings Crest.

To the other first tangible carriers of this name, Johann von der Berswordt in his Westphalian family tree leads from 1624 belong to Theodericus Frydag,[4] meles et castelanus in Recklinghausen, who witnessed in 1366 in a document of the monastery of Oelinghausen and Konrad Frydag 1316 his house and farm sold in Dortmund to the Dominicans to build a monastery.

But this did not deter Dietrich from further battle as in the following year of 1446, along several other nobles, he sent a feudal letter (dispute) to Duke Reinold von Geldern.

His courage and valour combined with his intellect, earned him the post of army commander of the Livonian Order, a position he held for 37 years.

In 1489, after appointing Wolter von Plettenberg, the Country Marshall (German: Landmeister) in 1491, he was able to end the 200-year civil war in Terra Mariana.

With the brothers Franz and Bertold, the family divided in the middle of the 16th century into the East Frisian and Westphalian line.

When he died, he left behind a daughter Margaret, who was married and had four sons, of whom the oldest Oldenbockum, which was his mother's surname as his baptismal name (a usage that was frequent in northern Germany).