Franko History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Franko is of Anglo-Saxon origin. It was name for a person who was referred to as being free or generous. The surname was originally derived from the Old French franc, which meant "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. The surname also has origins from the Norman official title, the frank which also means free. To confuse matters more, the surname could have been derived from the Norman personal name "Franc," which was originally an ethnic name for one of Frankish race.

Early Origins of the Franko family

The surname Franko was first found in the Domesday Book where bearers of the name Franko 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. 1

Early History of the Franko family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Franko research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1613, 1624, 1640, 1664, 1708 and 1775 are included under the topic Early Franko History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Franko Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Franko have been found, including Frank, Franks, Franke, Frankes, Frenk, Frink and many more.

Early Notables of the Franko family

Notables of the family at this time include Mark Frank (1613-1664), a British theologian, Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge; John Frank (c.1640), a British bookseller; Calvin Frink (c.1775), a British army surgeon; and Richard Franck (1624?-1708), an English captain in the Parliamentary Army and author from Nottingham. He was born and educated at Cambridge, but probably was not a...
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Franko Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Franko Ranking

In the United States, the name Franko is the 9,971^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Franko family to Ireland

Some of the Franko 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.

Migration of the Franko family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become powerful new nations. Among early immigrants of the Franko surname to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were: Daniel Frank, who immigrated to Virginia in 1622; as did Catherine Frank in 1695; Thomas Frink, who settled in New England in 1699; John Frank, who purchased land in Philadelphia in 1731.

Contemporary Notables of the name Franko (post 1700) +

Edwin Franko Goldman (1878-1956), American band composer who composed over 150 works, best known for his marches

The Franko 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 +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/