What is the origin of the surname Franklin?

Answer 1

The ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain originated the English surname Franklin, associating it with someone who worked as a landowner, but was not a member of the nobility. Despite the obscurant mists of time, the surname is first found deep within the ancient records of Buckinghamshire, where they had held a family seat- quite possibly long before the Norman Conquest of 1066 A.D.

Family motto: "For King and country!"

Answer 2

1. English: status name from Middle English frankelin 'Franklin', a technical term of the feudal system, from Anglo-Norman French franc 'free' 2) + the Germanic suffix -ling. The status of the Franklin varied somewhat according to time and place in medieval England; in general, he was a free man and a holder of fairly extensive areas of land, a gentleman ranked above the main body of minor freeholders but below a knight or a member of the nobility.

2. The surname is also borne by Jews, in which case it represents an Americanized form of one or more like-sounding Jewish surnames.

3. In modern times, this has been used to Americanize François, the French form of Francis.

Answer 3

I believe Franklin originated in England.