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![Show Contents]() Frencham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
Frencham is one of the many names that the Normans brought with them when they conquered England in 1066. The Frencham family lived in Norfolk, at Great Fransham or Little Fransham, parishes in the union of Mitford and Launditch, hundred of Launditch. Little Fransham's old Hall, "now a farmhouse, contains a room in which Queen Elizabeth is said to have slept one night, when on a tour through Norfolk." [1] Bother parishes date back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when they were one and known as Frandesham. [2] At this time Fransham consisted of 3 mills. Early Origins of the Frencham familyThe surname Frencham was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of the village of Fransham. The village of Fransham in 1086 was held by Gilbert from William de Warenne, the overlord whose line later became the Dukes of Warwick. Conjecturally, the Fransham name is directly descended from Gilbert, who was probably the son or nephew of William of Warenne. William, Count of Warren in Normandy, was a great friend and trusted companion of Duke William, the Conqueror of England in 1066. He married Gundreda, daughter of Queen Matilda. William, who fought at the Battle of Hastings, was one of the nobles who ruled England when Duke William returned to Normandy from time to time. Early History of the Frencham familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Frencham research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1198, 1273, 1334, 1730, 1810, 1660 and 1743 are included under the topic Early Frencham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Frencham Spelling VariationsAnglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Fransham, Francham, Frensham, Frenchum, Franchum, Franchem, Franshem, Frencham, Franchomme and many more. Early Notables of the Frencham family (pre 1700)Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Fransham (1730-1810), English freethinker, son of Thomas and Isidora Fransham. "He showed precocity at an elementary school. He wrote sermons, which the rector of St. George's thought good enough to submit to the dean. The aid of a relative, probably Isaac Fransham (1660-1743), an attorney, enabled him to study...
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Frencham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Frencham familyBecause of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Frencham name or one of its variants: Stephen Frensham settled in Virginia in 1728; and a Mr Franchomme, who settled in Louisiana in 1719.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Frencham (post 1700) | + |
- Mike Frencham, American actor and producer, known for Japanese Story (2003), Southern Cross (2004) and The Shark Net (2003)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
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