French Family Crest, Coat of Arms & French Name Origin

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Origin of the Name French

The ancient history of the name French was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. French is a locational name for someone who originated from France . Variants of the name include Frenche and Frenchman. This name is of Anglo-Norman descent spreading to Ireland , Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts in these countries. Examples of such are a Symon le Frensch, Wiltshire, who was recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England , in the year 1273 and a Robertus Franchman who was recorded in the 'Poll Tax' of the West Riding of Yorkshire, in the year 1379. In early Scottish records the name occurs chiefly in a Latinized form such as Franciscus. The Irish bearers of the name are descended from Theophilus de Frensche, a Norman Baron, who arrived with William the Conqueror in the eleventh century. They first settled in Wexford in the year 1300, but later became established in Connaught where they became one of the famous 'Tribes of Galway '. The town of Frenchpark in County Roscommon shows the extent to which they became further dispersed.