Frankes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The distinguished surname Frankes was most likely brought to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest. The name is of two possible origins; firstly, it is derived from the Norman personal name "Franc," which was originally an ethnic name for one of Frankish race. Alternatively, the name may be derived from the Old French word "franc," meaning "liberal, generous." In this case, the name would have been initially bestowed as a nickname either on someone who was generous or in an ironic way on someone who was stingy.

Early Origins of the Frankes family

The surname Frankes was first found in the Domesday Book; bearers of the name Frankes were granted lands in Shropshire, Yorkshire, Norfolk, and Surrey. The name appears with some frequency in various counties between the 11th and 14th centuries; early bearers of the name include Ricardus filius Franke, who was living in London in 1188, and Ricardus Franc, who was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of Essex in 1201.

Early History of the Frankes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Frankes research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1304, 1613, 1627, 1640, 1664, 1775, 1827 and 1911 are included under the topic Early Frankes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Frankes Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Frank, Franks, Franke, Frankes and others.

Early Notables of the Frankes family

Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Frankes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Frankes family to Ireland

Some of the Frankes family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Frankes migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Frankes Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

An Frankes, who arrived in Virginia in 1665 1
Katherine Frankes, who landed in Virginia in 1699 1

The Frankes Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Non nobis nati
Motto Translation: Born not for ourselves

Citations +

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)