Frantz History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The surname Frantz is a ancient German name that originated in the Rhineland. While the Germans at first used only one name, population increases created confusion among people of the same name, forcing them to adopt hereditary surnames. Two common types of German names are patronymic names, taken from the given name of the father, and metronymic names, taken from the name of the mother. Frantz was derived from the baptismal name for the son of Franciscus. In the religious naming tradition surnames were bestowed in honor of religious figures or church officials. In Europe, theChristian Church was one of the most powerful influences on the formation of given names. Personal names derived from the names of saints, apostles, biblical figures, and missionaries are widespread in most European countries. In the Middle Ages, they became increasingly popular because people believed that the souls of the deceased continued to be involved in this world. They named their children after saints in the hope that the child would be blessed or protected by the saint. This was the case with the surname Frantz.

Early Origins of the Frantz family

The surname Frantz was first found in the Rhineland, where the family emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.

Early History of the Frantz family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Frantz research. Another 194 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1713, 1780, 1815, 1827 and 1892 are included under the topic Early Frantz History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Frantz Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Frantz include Franz, Frantz, Frants, Frannz, Franntz, Frannts, Frantzen, Fraenzel, Frenzel, Frentz, Frenz and many more.

Early Notables of the Frantz family

Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Frantz Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Frantz Ranking

In the United States, the name Frantz is the 2,878^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Frantz is ranked the 4,550^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 2

Frantz migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from the Rhineland who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. Many of those who left the Rhineland to seek their fortunes in the prosperous and free New World settled in the major urban centers of the United States and Canada. In the United States, the settlers from the Rhineland passed through immigration centers like that of Ellis Island, most of them moving on to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, the majority of Rhinelanders settled in Ontario and the prairie provinces. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many important settlers to North America bearing the name Frantz, or one of its variants above:

Frantz Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Jan Frantz, aged 31, who landed in New York in 1639 3

Frantz Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johann Heinrich Frantz, who settled in Carolina in 1709
Johan Koenraet Frantz, who landed in New York in 1709 3
Johann Heinrich Frantz, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1709 3
Johannes Frantz, who arrived in New Yark in 1709 3
Chr Frantz, who arrived in America in 1731 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Frantz Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Francis Frantz, who arrived in Somerset County, Pennsylvania in 1852 3
Cathar Frantz, aged 9, who arrived in New York in 1854 3
Catharine Frantz, aged 36, who landed in New York in 1854 3
Andre Frantz, aged 8, who arrived in New York in 1854 3
Christine Frantz, who landed in New York in 1854 3

Frantz Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Emile Frantz, who arrived in Arkansas in 1906 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Frantz (post 1700) +

Chandler Frantz, American child actor
Arthur Frank Frantz (1921-2008), American umpire in Major League Baseball
Robert T. "Bob" Frantz (b. 1967), American talk radio host, TV personality, and sportswriter
Frank Frantz (1872-1941), American Rough Rider and politician who served as the seventh and final Governor of Oklahoma Territory
Joe Frantz, American film maker, a director, producer, cinematographer and author
Adrienne Danielle Frantz (b. 1978), American actress and singer-songwriter
Daniel Lee Frantz (b. 1977), former American football kicker
Tom Frantz (b. 1943), American former racing driver
Chris Frantz (b. 1951), American musician and record producer
Carl M. Frantz, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Army Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 11 aerial victories
... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)