NameCensus.

UK surname

Francois

A French surname referring to someone from France or of French descent.

In the 1881 census there were 40 people recorded with the Francois surname, ranking it #28,011 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 605, ranked #8,661, up from #28,011 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hammersmith and Fulham, Wellingborough and Waltham Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Francois is 605 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1412.5%.

1881 census count

40

Ranked #28,011

Modern count

605

2016, ranked #8,661

Peak year

2016

605 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Francois had 40 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,011 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 605 in 2016, ranked #8,661.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 46 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Francois surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Francois surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Francois 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 15 #30,614
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 40 #28,011
1891 historical 46 #30,657
1901 historical 43 #29,380
1911 historical 40 #28,913
1997 modern 393 #11,144
1998 modern 416 #11,037
1999 modern 424 #10,969
2000 modern 437 #10,684
2001 modern 429 #10,634
2002 modern 464 #10,181
2003 modern 460 #10,091
2004 modern 456 #10,188
2005 modern 466 #9,935
2006 modern 488 #9,648
2007 modern 503 #9,524
2008 modern 522 #9,328
2009 modern 548 #9,201
2010 modern 560 #9,225
2011 modern 554 #9,212
2012 modern 547 #9,203
2013 modern 588 #8,867
2014 modern 594 #8,872
2015 modern 595 #8,786
2016 modern 605 #8,661

Geography

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Where Francois' 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 Hammersmith and Fulham, Wellingborough, Waltham Forest and Gedling. 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 Hammersmith and Fulham 001 Hammersmith and Fulham
2 Wellingborough 007 Wellingborough
3 Hammersmith and Fulham 017 Hammersmith and Fulham
4 Waltham Forest 028 Waltham Forest
5 Gedling 009 Gedling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Francois

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Francois

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Francois, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Francois surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Francois household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Francois is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Francois is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Francois falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Francois is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Francois

The surname Francois originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the medieval French words "franc" meaning "free" and "ois" meaning "from." The name was likely given to someone who was granted freedom or came from an area known for its free people.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Francois appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a manuscript recording landholders in England after the Norman conquest. Entries such as "Radulfus Francois" and "Willelmus Francois" are found in this historical document.

In the 12th century, the surname Francois began appearing in various regions of France, including Normandy, Brittany, and Anjou. Place names like Francoisville, Francoiscourt, and Francoislieu likely contributed to the spread and variations of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Francois include the 16th-century French explorer and navigator Jacques Francois (1534-1598), who led expeditions to the Americas. Another famous bearer of the name was the 17th-century French writer and philosopher René Francois (1623-1662), known for his work "Discours de la Méthode."

In the 18th century, the French novelist and playwright Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (1732-1799), whose original surname was Francois, gained fame for his plays "The Barber of Seville" and "The Marriage of Figaro."

The 19th century saw the French painter Jean-Francois Millet (1814-1875), renowned for his depictions of peasant life, and the French composer César Francois (1822-1890), known for his operas and ballets.

Moving into the 20th century, the French philosopher and writer Jean-Paul Francois (1905-1980) made significant contributions to existentialism and phenomenology, while the Canadian ice hockey player Bernie Francois (1926-2003) played for the Boston Bruins and won the Stanley Cup in 1952.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Francois families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Francois 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. Middlesex leads with 18 Francois' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.93x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 18 3.93x
Channel Islands 7 51.55x
Nottinghamshire 4 6.47x
Glamorgan 2 2.51x
Hampshire 2 2.13x
Kent 2 1.28x
Lanarkshire 2 1.35x
Surrey 2 0.90x
Argyllshire 1 7.84x
Cornwall 1 1.93x
Cumberland 1 2.53x
Dorset 1 3.32x
Lancashire 1 0.18x
Monmouthshire 1 3.02x
Pembrokeshire 1 6.86x
Royal Navy 1 18.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Peter Port in Channel Islands leads with 7 Francois' recorded in 1881 and an index of 278.88x.

Place Total Index
St Peter Port 7 278.88x
Fulham London 4 60.15x
Nottingham St Mary 4 25.03x
Paddington London 4 23.74x
St Pancras London 4 10.84x
Bermondsey 2 14.65x
Folkestone 2 66.01x
Shoreditch London 2 10.07x
St Martin In Fields 2 72.99x
Tradeston 2 10000.00x
Campbeltown 1 64.94x
Cardiff St Mary 1 22.73x
Low Holme 1 454.55x
Milford Haven 1 833.33x
Newport 1 63.29x
Portland 1 61.73x
Portsea 1 5.43x
Portsmouth 1 46.30x
Royal Navy 1 21.41x
Scilly Islands 1 1111.11x
Shadwell London 1 78.13x
Swansea 1 1111.11x
Toxteth Park 1 5.43x
Westminster St James 1 21.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alexandrine 1
Clementina 1
Eliza 1
Elodie 1
Emilie 1
Julia 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alban 2
Adrien 1
Alan 1
Ales 1
Caudal 1
Drian 1
Drobin 1
Ed. 1
Edmond 1
Eugene 1
F. 1
Henri 1
James 1
Jean 1
Joamy 1
John 1
Joseph 1
Louie 1
Louis 1
Peter 1
Reyne 1
Robert 1
Rowat 1
Savidun 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 Francois households.

FAQ

Francois surname: questions and answers

How common was the Francois surname in 1881?

In 1881, 40 people were recorded with the Francois surname. That placed it at #28,011 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Francois surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 605 in 2016. That gives Francois a modern rank of #8,661.

What does the Francois surname mean?

A French surname referring to someone from France or of French descent.

What does the Francois map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Francois 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.