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Frank History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Frank History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany-Alt
Germany
Italy
Israel
Scotland

From the historical and enchanting Italian region of Piedmont emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Frank family. During the Middle Ages, as populations grew and travel between regions became more frequent, the people of Tuscany found it necessary to adopt a second name to identify themselves and their families. The process of adopting fixed hereditary surnames was not complete until the modern era, but the use of hereditary family names in Italy began in the 10th and 11th centuries. Italian hereditary surnames were developed according to fairly general principles and they were characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. Although the most common type of family name found in Piedmont is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, the nickname type of surname is also frequently found. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The surname Frank is a name for "Franc." The surname Franchi can be traced to the Norman given name Franc, which was a name for the Germanic peoples, the Franks, who inhabited the lands around the Rhine River in Roman times. In the 6th century, under the leadership of Clovis I, the Frankish tribe established a substantial empire in Europe, which later developed into the Holy Roman Empire. Their most famous Emperor was Charlemagne. The surname Franchi is also a name for a person from Franconia in Gemany.

Early Origins of the Frank family

The surname Frank was first found in with Giacomo Franchi who was a statesman and member of this prominent family near Genoa in 1445.

Early History of the Frank family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Frank research. The years 1450, 1477, 1517, 1546, 1592, 1633, 1638, 1666, 1709 and 1870 are included under the topic Early Frank History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Frank Spelling Variations

Surnames that originated in Italy are characterized by an enormous number of spelling variations. Some of these are derived from regional traditions and dialects. Northern names, for instance, often end in "o", while southern names tend to end in "i". Other variations come from the fact the medieval scribes tended to spell according to the sound of words, rather than any particular set of rules. The recorded variations of Frank include Franco, Franca, Franch, Frank, De Franchi, De Franchis, De Franco, Di Franco, La Franca, Franchèlli, Franchelli, Franchèllo, Franchello, Franchétto, Franchitti, Franina, Francolini, Francucci, Franci, Francesetti, Franciotti, Franconi and many more.

Early Notables of the Frank family

Prominent among members of the family was Francesco Francia, (1450-1517), an Italian painter and goldsmith born in Bolognia; Matteo Franco, (born 1477) a Florentine priest and poet who wrote several volumes of humorous poetry; Veronica Franco (born 1546) , a Venetian courtesan and poet; Nicol Franchi from Piedmont, a counselor...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Frank Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Frank World Ranking

In the United States, the name Frank is the 453^rd most popular surname with an estimated 62,175 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Frank is ranked the 879^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,080 people with that name. 2 And in France, the name Frank is the 4,118^th popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 3

Frank migration to the United States +

Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Frank or a variant listed above:

Frank Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Daniel Frank, who immigrated to Virginia in 1622
Robert Frank, who arrived in Virginia in 1651 4
Catherine Frank immigrated to Virginia in 1695
Cath Frank, who arrived in Virginia in 1695 4

Frank Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Michal Frank, who landed in New York in 1709 4
Johan Marten Frank, who arrived in New York in 1709 4
Johannes Conrad Frank, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1731 4
John Frank, who purchased land in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1731
Anna Frank, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Frank Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Hinr Frank, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1803 4
John George Frank, aged 12, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1805 4
Regina Barbara Frank, aged 18, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1805 4
Margaret Frank, aged 38, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1805 4
Paul Frank, aged 45, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1805 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Frank migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Frank Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

George Frank, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749
Elisabeth Frank, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
Jacob Frank, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
Marra Frank, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
Maria Frank, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757

Frank Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Georg Michael Frank, who arrived in Quebec in 1852
Charles Frank, who was living in Ontario in 1871

Frank migration to Australia +

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

Frank Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Gabriel Hugh Frank, English labourer who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 25th August 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Mr. Peter Frank, (b. 1784), aged 31, English sailor who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for life for theft, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 25th August 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
J. Friedrich Frank, a farmer, who arrived in South Australia in 1848 aboard the ship "Alfred" 6

Frank migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Frank Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

P Frank, who landed in Nelson, New Zealand in 1843 aboard the ship St Paul
Johan G. Frank, aged 32, a farmer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Waitangi" in 1874
Carl Frank, aged 42, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Terpsichore" in 1876
Elisabeth Frank, aged 46, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Terpsichore" in 1876
Carl Frank, aged 15, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Terpsichore" in 1876
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Frank (post 1700) +

Jason David Frank (1973-2022), American actor and mixed martial artist, best known for his career as Tommy Oliver from the Power Rangers franchise
Joe Samuel Frank (1942-2022), American politician, Mayor of Newport News, Virginia (1996-2010), an Eagle Scout and was awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award in 2009
Dorothea Olivia Benton Frank (1951-2019), best-selling American novelist
William J. Frank, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Maryland, 2012
William Frank, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Illinois 2nd District, 1924
William Frank, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Tennessee 6th District, 1920
Walter C. Frank, American politician, Circuit Judge in Illinois 9th Circuit, 1925
Tom Frank, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1980
Thomas E. Frank, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1948
T. J. Frank, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1888
... (Another 79 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Frank family +

Bismarck

Hans Frank (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 7
Alfred Frank (1922-1941), 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 7

Halifax Explosion

Master Alister Frank (1916-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 8

Monongah Mine

Mr. Paul Frank (b. 1883), Polish coal miner who was in mine 6 at the Monongah mine on 6th December 1907 when it exploded and collapsed; he died 9
Mr. Tony Frank (b. 1881), Italian coal miner who was in mine 6 at the Monongah mine on 6th December 1907 when it exploded and collapsed; he died 9

USS Arizona

Mr. Leroy George Frank, American Seaman First Class from Arkansas, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 10

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ALFRED 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Alfred.htm
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
Monongah Mining Disaster retrieved on 8th August 2021. (Retrieved fromhttps://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/monongah.htm).
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html