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From: Todd A. Farmerie< >
Subject: Re: FRANK surname vs. FRANK tribe
Date: 26 Jun 1995 13:51:57 GMT


In a previous article, (Annelise Anderson) says:

>In article <3sl20q$>, (Todd A. Farmerie) writes:
>>
>>In a previous article, (Annelise Anderson) says:
>>
>>>In article <3rm783$>, (Todd A. Farmerie) writes:
>>>>
>>>>The term Frank came to be associated with the residents of France, and this
>>>>is what is implied by the surname. FRANK is a nationalistic surname of
>>>>German origin indicating that the person who adopted it was of French
>>>>extraction, or had spent time in France.
>
>This would seem to be wrong according to the Oxford English
>Dictionary, which says:

I am not sure how the following negates my statement. The definitions and
word origin appear to relate to the ancient tribe. I was refering to the
origins of the surname, and not the name of the People. (As I said, I have
no problem with it refering to someone from Franconia, as opposed to
France, in some cases.)

>
>Frank (_____), n.1 and a.1 Forms: 1 Franca, Fronca, 3 Franke, 4_7 Fran(c)k(e,
>(8
>Franc), 7_ Frank. [ad. L. Franc-us, F. Franc; a name of Teut. origin, repr.
>OHG.
> Franko = OE. Franca:---prehistoric *Frankon-.
>It is usually believed that the Franks were named from their national weapon,
> OE. franca (:---*frankon-) javelin; cf. Saxon (Sahson-), thought to be from
> *sahso- (OE. seax) knife. The notion that the ethnic name is derived from the
> adj. meaning _free' (see frank a.2) was already current in the 10th century;
> but the real relation between the words seems to be the reverse of this.]
>A. n.
>1. A person belonging to the Germanic nation, or coalition of nations,
> that conquered Gaul in the 6th century, and from whom the country received
> the name of France.
>Beowulf 1210 (Gr.) In Francna ffpm.
>_1205 Lay. 3715 Cordoille ^e wes Francene quene.
>_1300 Cursor M. 21081 To ^e franckis prechid he.
>1776 Gibbon Decl. & F. I. x. 259 These Germans_maintained the honourable
> epithet of Franks or Freemen.
>1796 H. Hunter tr. St. Pierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) III. 457 A family of
> slaves under the Romans risen to Nobility under the Francs.
>1844 Ld. Brougham Brit. Const. iii. (1862) 40 The Franks, who founded the
>French Monarchy
>

Todd

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