Francis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Francis

What does the name Francis mean?

The earliest forms of hereditary surnames in Scotland were the patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father’s given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother’s given name. Scottish patronymic names emerged as early as the mid-9th century. The patronyms were derived from a variety of given names that were of many different origins. The surname Francis is derived from the popular medieval given name Franciscus. Francis is a patronymic surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Many patronyms were formed when a son used his father’s personal name as a surname, but in this case, the surname was originally derived from the famous religious figure, St. Francis of Assisi. The Francis family was established in Derbyshire, prior to the Norman invasion of England, in 1066.

Early Origins of the Francis family

The surname Francis was first found in Derbyshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.