Surname Fräntz - Meaning and Origin
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My iGENEA DNA test results unveiled fascinating insights about my family surname, Fräntz. Connected to Western Europe, the roots of the surname also encompass surprising links to the Near East and North Africa. The Test tells an incredibly diverse story, granting a complex snapshot of our past and the intricate web of cultural and historic connections we unwittingly carry with us.
B. Fräntz
read moreFräntz: What does the surname Fräntz mean?
The last name Fräntz is a German surname which emerged from the Middle Ages in the district of Waldeck-Frankenberg. It originates from the Old-High German "franca" which means a "noble freeman".
Fräntz was a title awarded to an individual who could prove their heritage was one of noble lineage and was often used to designate a member of the nobility during the middle ages. This title was later used as a surname to distinguish individuals who had been granted this title.
The use of Fräntz is not exclusive to Germany however, as it can also be found in North and South America due to immigration during the 19th century.
During the middle ages, individuals gifted with the surname of Fräntz were given a house and a certain amount of land or an estate. Occasionally they would hold a high office within a local government or within the government of a local town or city. These individuals would be responsible for the taxes collected and the distribution of money from the government to the citizens.
In modern times, the surname is still used in Germany and elsewhere around the world to identify members of nobility. It is a reminder of the noble past that has been passed down through generations, and of the long history of the German people.
Order DNA origin analysisFräntz: Where does the name Fräntz come from?
The last name Fräntz is most commonly found in Germany and its neighboring countries.
Within Germany, it is most predominantly seen in the German-speaking parts of former Prussian provinces and German-speaking areas of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. This includes present-day Germany, Austria, parts of Switzerland, and parts of Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic.
The surname is of Germanic origin and dates back to a time before surnames were standardized in the 13th and 14th centuries. Fräntz is thus one of the many variations of the original Frankensztajn or Frantzenstein family name. The name can be found in historical archives, church books, and court documents as early as 1550, and was mostly found in urban areas.
Beyond Germany, the surname is also sometimes found in other Western countries, particularly due to the 19th-century German immigration to the Americas. Many German Americans have some branch of the Fräntz family line in their background.
The surname is still common throughout Germany, with over 2,500 people carrying it today. It is not as commonly seen outside of Germany, but with people increasingly researching their ancestry, more people may yet discover a Fräntz line in their family tree.
Variations of the surname Fräntz
The surname Fräntz has a variety of different spellings and variants that originate from the same name. Depending on the language they are listed different, such as Frentz, Frentzsch, Frentsch, Frents, Frentschel, Frentschels, Froents, Froentschel, Froentsch and LaFrentz.
The surname is of German origin and a variant of the surname Franz, meaning 'freesman' or 'noble-born'. The name is composed of two elements: 'frid', meaning 'free', and 'ric', meaning 'ruler'.
The spelling of Fräntz can also be found in France, in the form of Frantz, Frenz, and Frant. It is also found in Denmark with the spelling Froents or Frents and in Dutch-speaking countries, mainly divided into two variations, Frentz and Frents.
In England the surname Frentz is shared by a few families, while LaFrentz is shared by a few other families in the United States. The same surname can also be found in Eastern Europe with the spelling Frentsch or Frentschsch.
Due to the differences in language and culture across the world, the surname Fräntz has numerous variants and spellings, but they all originate from the same German name.
Famous people with the name Fräntz
- Markus Fräntz: Markus Fräntz is a German footballer who plays for German Bundesliga team VfB Stuttgart II.
- Johannes Fräntz: Johannes Fräntz is a former German tennis player, who was a quarterfinalist at the 1988 French Open doubles event with his partner Ingmar Böhning.
- Ursula Fräntz: Ursula Fräntz was an Austrian actor and filmmaker. She was a leading figure in Austrian avant-garde theater and film production.
- Charlotte Fräntz: Charlotte Fräntz was a German poet and author. She published several books of fiction and was a frequent contributor to anthologies.
- Arthur Fräntz: Arthur Fräntz was a German neurologist and psychiatrist who practiced in hospitals around Berlin. He contributed to medical sciences, particularly on disorders of the nervous system.
- Reimer Fräntz: Reimer Fräntz was a German jurist and politician. He served in the German Parliament from 1954 to 1960 and was a member of the Christian Democratic Union.
- Walter Fräntz: Walter Fräntz was a German mathematician and physicist. He was integral to the development of quantum mechanical theories in the early twentieth century.
- Johann Fräntz: Johann Fräntz was a German cinematographer and film director. He was the first to make a feature film in Germany, using the controversial medium of moving picture film.
- Rudolf Fräntz: Rudolf Fräntz was a German soldier who served in World War I. He was awarded the Iron Cross for his bravery and loyalty while in service.