NameCensus.

UK surname

Francey

A variant of the French surname Francey, referring to someone from France.

In the 1881 census there were 22 people recorded with the Francey surname, ranking it #30,464 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 174, ranked #21,466, up from #30,464 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, North Kirkhill and Markinch and Star.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Francey is 174 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 690.9%.

1881 census count

22

Ranked #30,464

Modern count

174

2016, ranked #21,466

Peak year

2016

174 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Francey had 22 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,464 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016, ranked #21,466.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 45 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Francey surname distribution map

The map shows where the Francey surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Francey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Francey over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 9 #31,675
1861 historical 32 #29,944
1881 historical 22 #30,464
1891 historical 35 #31,540
1901 historical 45 #29,156
1911 historical 14 #32,045
1997 modern 136 #22,398
1998 modern 146 #22,031
1999 modern 142 #22,607
2000 modern 144 #22,357
2001 modern 131 #23,343
2002 modern 138 #23,094
2003 modern 144 #22,270
2004 modern 144 #22,379
2005 modern 137 #23,110
2006 modern 139 #23,044
2007 modern 140 #23,231
2008 modern 146 #22,822
2009 modern 153 #22,611
2010 modern 162 #22,292
2011 modern 159 #22,382
2012 modern 164 #21,883
2013 modern 165 #22,163
2014 modern 170 #21,914
2015 modern 172 #21,649
2016 modern 174 #21,466

Geography

Back to top

Where Franceys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, North Kirkhill, Markinch and Star, Kilmaurs and Lambeth. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 010 Cornwall
2 North Kirkhill East Renfrewshire
3 Markinch and Star Fife
4 Kilmaurs East Ayrshire
5 Lambeth 014 Lambeth

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Francey

These lists show first names that appear often with the Francey surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Francey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Francey, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Francey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Francey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Francey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Francey is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Francey falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Francey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Francey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Francey

The surname Francey is believed to have originated in France, deriving from the Old French word "franc," meaning "free" or "frank." It is thought to have first emerged as a surname in the region of Normandy during the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Franceis." This suggests that the name was already present in England shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066, likely brought over by Norman nobles or soldiers.

During the Middle Ages, the name Francey was often associated with individuals of Norman or French descent, particularly those who held land or positions of authority. In some cases, it may have been used as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who was considered "frank" or "free-spoken."

As the surname spread throughout various regions of France and England, it underwent several spelling variations, including Franceis, Fraunces, Fraunceys, and Fraunceis. These variations reflect the fluid nature of surname spellings during that era, as well as regional dialects and scribal interpretations.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname Francey include Sir John Francey (c. 1300-1368), a renowned English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. Another prominent individual was William Francey (c. 1420-1489), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the City of London.

In the 16th century, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Francey surname in Scotland can be found in the records of the Burgh of Aberdeen, where a certain Thomas Francey was listed as a burgess in 1548.

Moving forward to the 17th century, we find John Francey (1590-1657), an English clergyman and writer who served as the chaplain to King Charles I. He is best known for his religious works, including "The Lamb's Innocency" and "The Jesuits Idolatry."

Another notable figure from this period was Sir Philip Francey (1618-1696), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for the Borough of Malmesbury in Wiltshire.

By the 18th century, the Francey surname had spread across various parts of the British Isles, as well as to the British colonies in North America and the Caribbean. One prominent individual from this time was Captain James Francey (1725-1799), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Francey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Francey surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Stirlingshire leads with 10 Franceys recorded in 1881 and an index of 126.42x.

County Total Index
Stirlingshire 10 126.42x
Lanarkshire 8 11.54x
Middlesex 2 0.93x
Lancashire 1 0.39x
Sussex 1 2.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stirling in Stirlingshire leads with 10 Franceys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1000.00x.

Place Total Index
Stirling 10 1000.00x
Govan 8 46.65x
Hornsey 2 73.80x
Fulwood 1 370.37x
South Bersted 1 322.58x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Francey surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Fanny 1
Mary 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Francey surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Robert 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Francey households.

FAQ

Francey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Francey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 22 people were recorded with the Francey surname. That placed it at #30,464 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Francey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016. That gives Francey a modern rank of #21,466.

What does the Francey surname mean?

A variant of the French surname Francey, referring to someone from France.

What does the Francey map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Francey bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.