Francis

For many more names, please Return to Edgar's Main Page.

Francis

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
Francis means “free.” The Franks were a Germanic tribe in Western Europe who's name meant “free.” Their name gave rise to the word and surname Franklin, or “freeman.” The Franks eventually settled in what is now called France. In England (about 1200), Francis arose as a nickname for a Frenchman.
Francis is occasionally, mistakenly, given as a feminine name, in place of the identically pronounced Frances.

History:
Francis first appeared as a nickname about 1200. It first appeared as a first name in 1494 with a man named Francis Calthrope of Norwich. It remained uncommon until the 16th century, declined in the 17th and 18th centuries, and was revived in the 19th. Frank first appeared in the 16th century. Franklin was a surname, but it began to be bestowed as a first name in honor of Benjamin Franklin.

Pronunciation: fran-sis.

Diminutives:
Basque: Patxi.
Breton: Fanch, Soa, Soaic.
English: Frank, Frankie.
Spanish: Chico, Chito, Cisco, Curro, Frasco, Paco, Pancho, Paquito, Quico.
Welsh: Ffranc.

Alternates:
Basque: Pantzeksa.
Breton: Fransez.
Czech: Frantisek.
Danish: Franz, Frans.
English (Middle): Franklin, Franklyn.
Finnish: Ransu, Frans.
French: François.
German: Franz.
Hawaiian: Palakiko, Palani.
Hungarian: Ferencz, Ferenc, Ferko.
Irish Gaelic: Proinséas, Proinsias.
Italian: Francesco.
Polish: Franciszek.
Spanish: Francisco.
Swedish: Franz, Frans.
Welsh: Ffransis.

Feminine: Frances.

See also: Francisco, Frank, Franklin.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Francesco di Giogrio (1397-1468)
Italian painter.
Francesco di Giogrio (1439-1502)
Italian painter.
Frans Hals (1581-1666)
Dutch painter.
Francis Pilkington (-1638)
English composer.
Frans van Mieris (1635-1681)
Dutch painter.
Frantisek Benda (1709-1786)
Bohemian composer.
Francesco Guardi (1712-1793)
Italian painter.
Franz Danzi (1763-1826)
German musician.
Franz (Ferenc) Liszt (1811-1886)
Hungarian composer.
Franz von Suppé (1819-1895)
Austrian composer.
Franz von Lenbach (1836-1904)
German painter.
Franz Lehár (1870-1948)
Hungarian composer.
Frantisek Kupka (1871-1957)
French painter.
Francis Brett Young (1884-1954)
English novelist.
Francis Ponge (1899-1988)
French poet.
Francis Selormey (1927-)
Ghanaian writer.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Francis Ysidro Edgeworth (1845-1926)
Irish economist and statistician.

Miscellaneous:
Francesco Sforza (1401-1466)
Duke of Milan.
Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596)
Famous English seaman. Circled the globe, and fought the Spanish.

Places:
France
Europe

Political Figures:
Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
Lord Chancellor of England.
Francis P. Blair (1791-876)
Helped found the Republican Party in the United States.
Pancho Villa (1878-1923)
Mexican revolutionary.
Francis Michael Forde (1890-1983)
Prime Minister of Australia.
Frantisek Tomasek (1899-1992)
Opposed the communists in Czechoslovakia.

Religious Figures:
Saint Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)
Founder of the Franciscan order.
Saint Francis of Paola (1416-1507)
Founder of the Minim Friars.
Saint Francis Xavier (Spanish: San Francisco Javier) (1506-1552)
One of the first Jesuits. A missionary to India and Japan.
Saint Francis of Sales (1567-1622)
Bishop of Geneva.

Royalty:
Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414-1450)
Fought with England.
Francis II, Duke of Brittany (1425-1488)
Attempted to keep Brittany out of French hands.
King Francis I of France (1494-1547)
Called Francis of Angouleme (French: François D’Angouleme).
Francis (Francesco) I, Duke of Tuscany (1541-1587)
Part of the Medici family.
King Francis II of France (1544-1560)
Ruled from 1559 to 1560.
Francis I, Duke of Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1768-1835)
Holy Roman Emperor. Wife of Maria Theresa.
Francis I, Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary (1768-1835)
The last Holy Roman Emperor (as Francis II).
Francis I, King of the Two Sicilies (1777-1830)
Began as a liberal, ended as a reactionary.
Francis II, King of the Two Sicilies (1836-1894)
Deposed.
Franz Ferdinand (Francis Ferdinand) (1863-1914)
Heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary. His assassination touched off World War I.
Franz Joseph (Francis Joseph), Emperor of Austria (1830-1916)
Formed the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.
Francis Joseph (Franz Josef) II, Prince of Liechtenstein (1906-1989)
Built up his country into one of the wealthiest in Europe.

Scientists:
Francis Hauksbee the Younger (1687-1763)
English instrument maker.
Francis Baily (1774-1844)
English astronomer.
Francesco Selmi (1817-1881)
Italian chemist.
Francis Edgar Stanley (1849-1918)
American inventor. Helped invent the Stanley Steamer engine.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.581 % named Frank
0.160 % named Francis
0.124 % named Francisco
0.077 % named Franklin
0.023 % named Frankie
0.004 % named Franklyn
0.004 % named Francesco

Popularity of Francis:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 39th most popular.
1850: 31st most popular.
1875: 39th most popular.
1900-1910: 37th most popular.
1910-1920: 34th most popular.
1920-1930: 35th most popular.
1930-1940: 50th most popular.
1940-1950: 71st most popular.
1950-1960: 102nd most popular.
1960-1970: 157th most popular.
1970-1980: 218th most popular.
1980-1990: 260th most popular.
1990: 284th most popular.
1991: 304th most popular.
1992: 315th most popular.
1993: 334th most popular.
1994: 334th most popular.
1995: 347th most popular.
1996: 378th most popular.
1997: 377th most popular.
1998: 404th most popular.
1999: 420th most popular.
2000: 427th most popular.
2001: 438th most popular.
2002: 481st most popular.
2003: 509th most popular.

Popularity of Francesco:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: 493rd most popular.
1910-1920: 954th most popular.
1920-1970: N/A
1970-1980: 933rd most popular.
1980-1990: 836th most popular.
1990: 830th most popular.
1991: 916th most popular.
1992: 974th most popular.
1993: 897th most popular.
1994: 985th most popular.
1995: 918th most popular.
1996: 947th most popular.
1997: N/A
1998: 957th most popular.
1999: 969th most popular.
2000: 990th most popular.
2001: N/A

Popularity of Franz:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: 598th most popular.
1910-2000: N/A

Popularity of Franklyn:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1910-1920: 735th most popular.
1920-1930: 846th most popular.
1930-1940: 728th most popular.
1940-1950: 790th most popular.
1950-2000: N/A