Frenay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

Etymology of Frenay

What does the name Frenay mean?

The French surname Frenay is derived from the Old French word fraisne, fresne which means 'ash-tree' which denotes 'dweller by an ash-tree' 1 There are numerous spelling variations from this root.

Alternatively the name could have originated at Fresnay, Normandy as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Roger de Fresnay living there in 1180. Robert and Roger de Fraisnio were later recorded in 1198. 2

Early Origins of the Frenay family

The surname Frenay was first found in Burgundy (French: Bourgogne), an administrative and historical region of east-central France, where the family has held a family seat since ancient times.

Early History of the Frenay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Frenay research. Another 152 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1392, 1493, 1528, 1552, 1611, 1650 and 1668 are included under the topic Early Frenay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Frenay Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Franay, Frasnay, Franais, Franait, Franez, Franai, Franet, Frané, Franée, Frenay, Frenaye, Franey, de Franay, de Frasnay and many more.

Early Notables of the Frenay family

More information is included under the topic Early Frenay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Frenay family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: A. G. M. and A. Frenaye, who settled in Philadelphia in 1808; Michel Fernet, who arrived in Quebéc and married Olive DeLavoye at Pointe-aux-Trembles in 1684..

Contemporary Notables of the name Frenay (post 1700) +

Gary Frenay, American rock artist from Syracuse, New York
Henri Frenay, French officer and a politician

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)