Frakes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The distinguished English surname Frakes is thought to be derived from the Old English word "firhpe," meaning "frith, wood, woodland." Alternatively, it may be related to the Old English "freca," meaning "man, warrior."

Early Origins of the Frakes family

The surname Frakes was first found in Somerset, where the Frakes family was anciently seated as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Breham, held by William de Mohun, a Norman Baron, who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. The village held 2 Mills, 300 sheep and 22 wild mares.

Early History of the Frakes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Frakes research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1516, 1591, 1603, 1675, 1688, 1692, 1693, 1694, 1695, 1699, 1703, 1707, 1717, 1756, 1797, 1848 and 1920 are included under the topic Early Frakes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Frakes Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Frakes include Freake, Freke, Freyke, Freche, Frech, Fryke, Freek, Freak, Frake and many more.

Early Notables of the Frakes family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Edmund Freke (also spelled Freake or Freak; c. 1516-1591), an English dean and bishop; John Freke (1688-1756), an English surgeon who...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Frakes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Frakes Ranking

In the United States, the name Frakes is the 11,073^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Frakes family to Ireland

Some of the Frakes family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 102 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Frakes migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Frakess to arrive on North American shores:

Frakes Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Frakes, who was naturalized in Michigan in 1846

Contemporary Notables of the name Frakes (post 1700) +

Jason Frakes, high school sports and horse racing reporter, who won the Media Eclipse Award in 2018
Bill Frakes, American photographer at Sports Illustrated since 1993
Lawrence A. Frakes, American USARP geologist, eponym of Mount Frakes, Antarctica
Randall Frakes, American film and science fiction writer, best known for his work on The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Jonathan Frakes (b. 1952), American actor and director best known for his role as "Commander William Riker" on the television series "Star Trek: The Next Generation"

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/