NameCensus.

UK surname

Frank

A surname of Germanic origin referring to a free man or landowner, as opposed to a serf or servant.

In the 1881 census there were 1,279 people recorded with the Frank surname, ranking it #3,195 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,415, ranked #2,727, up from #3,195 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Whitby and Pickering. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ryedale, East Riding of Yorkshire and Hartlepool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Frank is 2,415 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 88.8%.

1881 census count

1,279

Ranked #3,195

Modern count

2,415

2016, ranked #2,727

Peak year

2016

2,415 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Frank had 1,279 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,195 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,415 in 2016, ranked #2,727.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,962 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Frank surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Frank surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Frank 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 668 #3,891
1861 historical 1,415 #2,017
1881 historical 1,279 #3,195
1891 historical 1,656 #2,708
1901 historical 1,494 #3,433
1911 historical 1,962 #2,531
1997 modern 1,775 #3,373
1998 modern 1,881 #3,331
1999 modern 1,914 #3,301
2000 modern 1,900 #3,303
2001 modern 1,871 #3,283
2002 modern 1,923 #3,278
2003 modern 1,878 #3,269
2004 modern 1,867 #3,285
2005 modern 1,849 #3,288
2006 modern 1,864 #3,287
2007 modern 1,913 #3,238
2008 modern 1,924 #3,240
2009 modern 2,009 #3,201
2010 modern 2,096 #3,154
2011 modern 2,069 #3,151
2012 modern 2,188 #2,931
2013 modern 2,253 #2,903
2014 modern 2,357 #2,808
2015 modern 2,359 #2,781
2016 modern 2,415 #2,727

Geography

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Where Franks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Whitby, Pickering and Kirby Moorside. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ryedale, East Riding of Yorkshire, Hartlepool and Pembrokeshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Whitby Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Pickering Yorkshire, North Riding
4 London parishes London 3
5 Kirby Moorside Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ryedale 001 Ryedale
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 011 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Hartlepool 002 Hartlepool
4 Ryedale 007 Ryedale
5 Pembrokeshire 010 Pembrokeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Frank

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Frank

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Frank surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Frank 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Frank 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

Frank 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

Frank falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Frank 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Frank

The surname Frank has its origins in the Germanic tribe known as the Franks, who emerged in the 3rd century AD in the region that is now modern-day Germany and the Netherlands. The name was derived from the Old Frankish word "franko," meaning "free" or "free man."

The Franks played a significant role in shaping the history of Europe, and their name became associated with nobility and power. In the 5th century AD, the Franks established the Merovingian dynasty, which ruled over a vast territory stretching from modern-day France to parts of Germany and the Low Countries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Frank can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions several individuals with the surname Frank, indicating that the name had already spread beyond its original region by that time.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Frank was particularly prevalent in the areas of modern-day Germany and the Netherlands. It was also adopted by Jewish families living in these regions, who were often referred to as "Franks" or "Franken" to distinguish them from the local population.

Notable individuals with the surname Frank include Anne Frank (1929-1945), the famous diarist whose account of hiding from the Nazis during World War II became a powerful testament to the horrors of the Holocaust. Hans Frank (1900-1946) was a prominent Nazi leader and the governor-general of occupied Poland during World War II, while Melanchthon Frank (1590-1670) was a German theologian and philosopher.

In the realm of literature, the surname Frank is associated with writers such as Mary Shelley's husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), and the American novelist Richard Frank (1924-2023). Additionally, the surname has been carried by notable figures in various fields, such as the German-American philosopher Hans Frank (1900-1946) and the American artist Robert Frank (1924-2019).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Frank families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Frank 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. Yorkshire leads with 436 Franks recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.57x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 436 3.57x
Middlesex 229 1.86x
Lancashire 121 0.83x
Durham 114 3.11x
Surrey 53 0.88x
Kent 42 1.00x
Worcestershire 24 1.49x
Shropshire 23 2.16x
Essex 22 0.90x
Lincolnshire 19 0.96x
Glamorgan 17 0.79x
Devon 14 0.55x
Suffolk 13 0.87x
Midlothian 10 0.61x
Pembrokeshire 9 2.30x
Sussex 9 0.43x
Derbyshire 8 0.41x
Gloucestershire 8 0.33x
Monmouthshire 8 0.90x
Northumberland 6 0.33x
Staffordshire 6 0.14x
Bedfordshire 5 0.78x
Cumberland 5 0.47x
Hampshire 5 0.20x
Norfolk 5 0.26x
Warwickshire 5 0.16x
Northamptonshire 4 0.35x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.38x
Hertfordshire 3 0.35x
Huntingdonshire 3 1.23x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.18x
Renfrewshire 3 0.31x
Ross-shire 3 0.89x
Somerset 3 0.15x
Westmorland 3 1.11x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.18x
Angus 2 0.18x
Fife 2 0.27x
Inverness-shire 2 0.54x
Anglesey 1 0.46x
Berkshire 1 0.11x
Berwickshire 1 0.67x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.13x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.20x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.35x
Morayshire 1 0.52x
Royal Navy 1 0.68x
Rutland 1 1.11x
Wiltshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stockton On Tees in Durham leads with 43 Franks recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.34x.

Place Total Index
Stockton On Tees 43 24.34x
Pickering 37 240.73x
Kirkby Moorside 32 411.84x
Scarborough 31 27.94x
Mile End Old Town London 30 11.44x
Spitalfields London 30 32.37x
Islington London 23 1.93x
St George In East London 23 19.85x
Chorlton On Medlock 15 6.46x
Hutton Le Hole 15 1304.35x
Oldbury 15 18.95x
Whitby 14 34.03x
Lambeth 13 1.21x
Shoreditch London 13 2.43x
Eccleston In Prescot 12 16.35x
Liverpool 12 1.35x
Manchester 12 1.83x
Westoe 12 5.78x
Brandsby Cum Stearsby 11 866.14x
Leeds 11 1.60x
Streatham 11 12.03x
Cheetham 10 9.17x
Deptford St Paul 10 3.08x
Sculcoates 10 5.17x
St Pancras London 10 1.01x
Stoke Damerel 10 5.57x
Toxteth Park 10 2.02x
Dudley 9 4.60x
Glaisdale 9 193.13x
Hampstead London 9 4.69x
Holy Trinity 9 3.06x
Oswestry Rural 9 55.18x
St Marylebone London 9 1.37x
Thurston 9 306.12x
Bedwellty 8 5.09x
Chapel Allerton 8 43.79x
Chigwell 8 34.86x
Farndale East Side 8 512.82x
Helmsley 8 122.14x
Horkstow 8 689.66x
Llandaff 8 11.21x
New Malton 8 54.79x
Southwark St John 8 21.23x
Southwick 8 23.05x
Stoke Newington London 8 8.34x
Thorpe Bassett 8 987.65x
Westerdale 8 714.29x
Ardwick 7 5.31x
Bethnal Green London 7 1.31x
Boston 7 11.71x
Brightside Bierlow 7 2.92x
Clifton 7 5.73x
Hook 7 26.06x
Knottingley 7 32.62x
Offcote Underwood 7 348.26x
Paddington London 7 1.55x
Ruswarp 7 51.55x
Skelton In Guisbrough 7 21.19x
West Derby 7 1.64x
Woolwich 7 4.51x
Bishopwearmouth 6 1.91x
Cound 6 298.51x
Edmonton 6 6.04x
Folkestone 6 7.36x
Hammersmith London 6 1.98x
Heck 6 631.58x
Manningham 6 3.99x
Marske In Guisbrough 6 27.68x
Poplar London 6 2.58x
Rievaulx 6 625.00x
Stranton 6 4.86x
Westminster St James 6 4.74x
Accrington 5 3.76x
Barugh 5 48.50x
Edmondsley 5 127.55x
Hartlepool 5 9.60x
Ince In Makerfield 5 7.35x
Ryhill 5 149.25x
Southwark Christchurch 5 8.66x
West Ardsley 5 34.04x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Frank surname: questions and answers

How common was the Frank surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,279 people were recorded with the Frank surname. That placed it at #3,195 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Frank surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,415 in 2016. That gives Frank a modern rank of #2,727.

What does the Frank surname mean?

A surname of Germanic origin referring to a free man or landowner, as opposed to a serf or servant.

What does the Frank map show?

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