NameCensus.

UK surname

Franks

A surname of English and German origin referring to a person from France or a person of French ancestry.

In the 1881 census there were 3,734 people recorded with the Franks surname, ranking it #1,223 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,891, ranked #1,143, up from #1,223 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include York, Maidstone and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Franks is 6,278 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.8%.

1881 census count

3,734

Ranked #1,223

Modern count

5,891

2016, ranked #1,143

Peak year

1999

6,278 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Franks had 3,734 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,223 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,891 in 2016, ranked #1,143.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,637 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Franks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Franks surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Franks 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 2,448 #1,219
1861 historical 2,555 #1,147
1881 historical 3,734 #1,223
1891 historical 4,334 #1,092
1901 historical 5,130 #1,095
1911 historical 5,637 #931
1997 modern 6,004 #1,090
1998 modern 6,254 #1,088
1999 modern 6,278 #1,090
2000 modern 6,235 #1,091
2001 modern 6,086 #1,093
2002 modern 6,132 #1,107
2003 modern 5,986 #1,107
2004 modern 5,995 #1,108
2005 modern 5,856 #1,118
2006 modern 5,792 #1,128
2007 modern 5,827 #1,132
2008 modern 5,860 #1,132
2009 modern 5,989 #1,132
2010 modern 6,115 #1,132
2011 modern 6,031 #1,129
2012 modern 5,896 #1,130
2013 modern 5,983 #1,131
2014 modern 6,022 #1,138
2015 modern 5,947 #1,141
2016 modern 5,891 #1,143

Geography

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Where Franks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Gateshead and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to York, Maidstone, Leeds and Wakefield. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Gateshead Durham
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 York 009 York
2 Maidstone 013 Maidstone
3 Leeds 035 Leeds
4 York 018 York
5 Wakefield 010 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Franks

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Franks

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Franks surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Franks household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Franks is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Franks is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Franks falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Franks 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 Franks, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Franks

The surname Franks is of Germanic origin, derived from the word "Franko" which means "free" or "frank". It was originally the name given to a confederation of Germanic tribes that inhabited the region around the Rhine River during the 3rd century AD.

The Franks are first mentioned in Roman records from the 3rd century AD, where they are described as a group of fierce warriors who frequently clashed with the Roman Empire. Over time, the Franks gradually expanded their territory and gained control over much of present-day France, Belgium, and parts of Germany.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Franks can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England. The book lists several individuals with the surname Franks, indicating that the name had already spread to England by the late 11th century.

In the Middle Ages, the surname Franks was often associated with nobility and military service. Several notable historical figures bore this surname, including Robert de Franks (c. 1150-1235), a prominent English nobleman and crusader during the Third Crusade, and Sir Richard Franks (c. 1390-1448), a English knight who served in the Hundred Years' War.

Another famous bearer of the Franks surname was Sebastian Franck (1499-1542), a German Renaissance humanist and author known for his works on theology and philosophy. In the 17th century, Sir John Franks (1616-1694) was an English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London.

During the colonial era, the Franks surname also spread to the Americas. One notable figure was Moses Franks (1718-1789), a British-American merchant and philanthropist who was one of the founders of the Bank of North America, one of the earliest banks in the United States.

Throughout history, the Franks surname has been associated with various place names and older spellings, such as Francke, Francks, and Franke. These variations likely arose due to regional differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Franks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Franks 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 507 Franks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.39x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 507 1.39x
Yorkshire 466 1.29x
Surrey 379 2.14x
Kent 206 1.66x
Staffordshire 193 1.57x
Lancashire 190 0.44x
Lincolnshire 172 2.95x
Durham 146 1.35x
Nottinghamshire 143 2.91x
Warwickshire 136 1.48x
Shropshire 123 3.91x
Worcestershire 121 2.54x
Somerset 114 1.94x
Devon 109 1.44x
Sussex 104 1.69x
Essex 96 1.34x
Leicestershire 66 1.63x
Bedfordshire 57 3.02x
Cambridgeshire 37 1.60x
Hampshire 34 0.46x
Glamorgan 31 0.49x
Monmouthshire 31 1.18x
Suffolk 31 0.70x
Northumberland 26 0.48x
Buckinghamshire 22 1.00x
Oxfordshire 22 0.98x
Wiltshire 22 0.68x
Gloucestershire 21 0.29x
Cheshire 18 0.22x
Derbyshire 17 0.30x
Huntingdonshire 16 2.21x
Hertfordshire 11 0.44x
Northamptonshire 11 0.32x
Midlothian 10 0.21x
Herefordshire 6 0.40x
Lanarkshire 6 0.05x
Stirlingshire 5 0.37x
Berkshire 4 0.15x
Flintshire 4 0.41x
Norfolk 4 0.07x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.26x
Cumberland 2 0.06x
Denbighshire 2 0.15x
Dorset 2 0.08x
Rutland 2 0.75x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.07x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.12x
Renfrewshire 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 61 Franks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.73x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 61 1.73x
Oldbury 61 26.07x
Nottingham St Mary 60 4.73x
West Ham 51 3.21x
Battersea 50 3.73x
Aston 38 1.50x
Holbeach 37 57.06x
Deptford St Paul 35 3.65x
Wolverhampton 34 3.60x
Stoke 32 38.22x
Liverpool 31 1.18x
Madeley 30 26.01x
St Marylebone London 30 1.54x
St Pancras London 30 1.02x
Birmingham 29 0.95x
Dawley 29 25.33x
Brighton 28 2.26x
Croydon 28 2.84x
Leeds 28 1.37x
Mile End Old Town London 28 3.61x
Stockton On Tees 27 5.17x
Bethnal Green London 26 1.64x
Sculcoates 25 4.37x
West Bromwich 25 3.55x
Holy Trinity 24 2.77x
Shoreditch London 24 1.52x
St Luke London 24 4.11x
Spitalfields London 23 8.40x
Wilden 23 416.67x
Camberwell 22 0.95x
Hoo 22 133.50x
Lambeth 22 0.69x
St George In East London 22 6.42x
Warwick St Mary 22 27.59x
Folkestone 21 8.71x
Mile End New Town London 21 29.19x
Sheffield 21 1.83x
Barrow In Furness 20 3.40x
Clerkenwell London 20 2.33x
Harborne 20 5.08x
Lewisham 19 2.87x
Newington 19 1.41x
Kensington London 18 0.89x
Kingswinford 17 3.81x
Potter Newton 17 26.70x
Walcot 17 5.45x
West Derby 17 1.34x
Westoe 17 2.77x
Kings Norton 16 3.75x
Littleham 16 28.87x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 15 4.46x
Paddington London 15 1.12x
Rowde 15 100.94x
Shrewsbury St Mary 15 12.08x
Steeple Aston 15 176.47x
Upperswinford 15 37.28x
Witley 15 120.10x
Battle 14 33.79x
Leicester St Margaret 14 1.42x
Nether Hallam 14 2.87x
Newington 14 14.09x
St George Hanover Square 14 2.18x
Sutton St Mary 14 25.43x
Bradford 13 1.49x
Fleet 13 78.36x
Ottery St Mary 13 26.15x
Thursley 13 102.04x
Walsall Foreign 13 2.05x
Bromley London 12 1.50x
Exeter St Thomas The 12 15.53x
Greenwich 12 2.07x
Guisbrough 12 15.22x
Helmington Row 12 23.78x
Southcoates 12 5.99x
Beckington 11 95.16x
Bexhill 11 35.95x
Bradford 11 190.64x
Millbrook 11 5.85x
Toxteth Park 11 0.75x
Warley 11 10.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 234
Elizabeth 149
Sarah 133
Jane 83
Eliza 69
Annie 68
Emma 68
Alice 50
Ann 49
Emily 47
Ellen 43
Martha 36
Hannah 31
Maria 26
Charlotte 25
Fanny 25
Louisa 24
Kate 23
Lucy 23
Caroline 21
Frances 19
Margaret 19
Ada 18
Harriet 18
Rebecca 18
Florence 15
Clara 14
Isabella 14
Agnes 13
Anne 13
Catherine 13
Edith 13
Harriett 13
Amelia 12
Sophia 12
Eleanor 11
Esther 11
Gertrude 11
Julia 11
Rose 11
Susannah 10
Amy 9
Laura 9
Lydia 9
Matilda 9
Minnie 9
Rachel 9
Susan 9
Elizth. 8
Rosetta 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 235
John 230
George 135
Thomas 111
James 108
Henry 85
Charles 66
Joseph 63
Arthur 41
Richard 39
Robert 37
Alfred 36
Edward 35
Walter 35
Frederick 33
Samuel 32
Harry 25
Albert 24
Ernest 23
Benjamin 20
David 18
Edwin 12
Frank 12
Herbert 10
Wm. 10
Abraham 9
Francis 9
Isaac 9
Chas. 8
Daniel 7
Thos. 7
Tom 7
Fred 6
Fredk. 6
Percy 6
Ambrose 5
Israel 5
Jacob 5
Lewis 5
Charlie 4
Fredrick 4
Joshua 4
Julius 4
Louis 4
Moses 4
Stephen 4
Bertie 3
Jesse 3
Josiah 3
Robt. 3

FAQ

Franks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Franks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,734 people were recorded with the Franks surname. That placed it at #1,223 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Franks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,891 in 2016. That gives Franks a modern rank of #1,143.

What does the Franks surname mean?

A surname of English and German origin referring to a person from France or a person of French ancestry.

What does the Franks map show?

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