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Franke History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Franke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany-Alt
Germany
Israel
Scotland

The surname Franke derived from the given name Francis. Although it began as a name indicating that the bearer was French in nationality, the popularity of the name Francis was greatly encouraged by the fame of St. Francis of Assisi in during the Middle Ages, and the meaning of the name was subsequently altered. This is also a name for a person from Franconia, which is a region of Southwestern Germany that was named after the Franks, who settled in this region after the fall of the Roman Empire.

Early Origins of the Franke family

The surname Franke was first found in Bohemia, where the name Frank became noted for its many branches within the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied by the princes of the region. In their later history the name became a power unto themselves and were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they grew into this most influential family.

Early History of the Franke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Franke research. Another 179 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1499, 1543, 1616, 1618, 1643, 1644, 1663, 1677, 1679, 1700, 1704 and 1727 are included under the topic Early Franke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Franke Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Frank, Franke, Frankk, Frankke, Franck, Francke, Franckk, Franckke, Franken, Frankhen, Franckhen and many more.

Early Notables of the Franke family

During this early period, notable bearers of the name Franke included Sebastian Franck (1499-1543), a freethinker and one of the first German historians; Johann Franck (Frank) (1618-1677), a German lyric poet and hymnist; and...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Franke Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Franke Ranking

In the United States, the name Franke is the 5,622^nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Franke migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Franke Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Franke, who landed in Virginia in 1642 2
Hen Franke, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 2
Robert Franke, who arrived in Virginia in 1657 2
Peter Franke, who landed in Virginia in 1657 2
Tho Franke, who arrived in Virginia in 1658 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Franke Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Thomas Franke, who landed in Virginia in 1714 2
Christina Franke, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1742 2
Christopher Franke, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1742 2
Johann Ludwig Wilhelm Franke went to Philadelphia in 1793
Johann Ludwig Wilhelm Franke, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1793 2

Franke Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Christian Franke moved to Baltimore in 1832 when he was 13 years old
Peter Franke, who arrived in America in 1833 2
Joh W Franke, who arrived in Indiana in 1837 2
Bernh Heinr Anton Franke, who landed in America in 1837 2
Samuel Franke, who landed in America in 1839 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Franke migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Franke Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Samuel Heinrich Franke, aged 26, a farmer, who arrived in South Australia in 1847 aboard the ship "Hermann von Beckerath" 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Franke (post 1700) +

Major-General Gustav Henry Franke (1888-1953), American Member of the War Department Dependency Board (1942) 4
Bob Franke (b. 1947), American folk singer/songwriter
Jay Anthony Franke (b. 1972), American actor, voice actor and musician
William B. Franke (1894-1979), American financial manager, U.S. Secretary of the Navy 1959-1961
Joachim Franke (1940-2024), German ice hockey player, who competed for SG Dynamo Weißwasser
Alfred Franke (1918-1942), German fighter pilot and flying ace in the Luftwaffe, during World War II, credited with 60 aerial victories, awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Werner Wilhelm Franke (1940-2022), German professor of cell and molecular biology at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, born in Paderborn
Christopher Franke (b. 1953), German musician and composer
Josef Franke (1876-1944), German architect
Jens Franke (b. 1964), German mathematician
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Franke family +

Bismarck

Willi Franke (1920-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 5
Rolf Franke (1918-1941), German Bootsmaat who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 5
Erhard Franke (1919-1941), German Matrosenobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 5
Heinz Franke (1917-1941), German Matrosenhauptgefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 5
Alfred Franke (1919-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 5

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HERMANN VON BECKERATH 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847HermanVonBeckerath.htm
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, February 29) Gustav Franke. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Franke/Gustav_Henry/USA.html
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details