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French: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

de Fréins · Norman 'de Freynes,' Latin 'de Fraxinis,' i.e., of the ash-trees (from residence thereby)

Woulfe (1923) gives French as de Fréins, from the Norman 'de Freynes', 'of the ash-trees', the name of an Anglo-Norman family in Co. Wexford. He says a branch of that family settled in Galway in the 15th century and became one of the 'tribes', now represented by Lord ffrench and Lord De Freyne. Woulfe also notes Prionnsa, in use in Co. Roscommon, as 'probably only a modern rendering into Irish of the surname French'.

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Coat of arms associated with the French surname
Irish formde Fréins
MeaningNorman 'de Freynes,' Latin 'de Fraxinis,' i.e., of the ash-trees (from residence thereby)
CountiesWexford, Galway, Roscommon, Antrim
Other spellings1

Origin of the French name

Woulfe: Norman 'de Freynes', Latin 'de Fraxinis', 'of the ash-trees', from residence thereby; 'the name of an Anglo-Norman family in Co. Wexford.' A branch settled in Galway in the 15th century and became one of the 'tribes'.[1]

  1. 15th centuryWoulfe: a branch of the Wexford family settles in Galway and becomes one of the 'tribes'.[1]
  2. 1604Nicholas French, later Bishop of Ferns, is born in Wexford.[5]
  3. 1643Nicholas French is consecrated Bishop of Ferns.[5]
  4. 1678Nicholas French dies at Ghent, 23 August, aged 73.[5]
  5. 189024 French birth entries in Ireland including spelling varieties (23 spelled French): Leinster 7, Munster 3, Ulster 8, Connaught 6.[3]

Where in Ireland

Co. WexfordWoulfe: 'the name of an Anglo-Norman family in Co. Wexford.'[1][5]
Co. GalwayWoulfe: a branch settled here in the 15th century and became one of the 'tribes'.[1]
Co. RoscommonWoulfe: the Irish rendering Prionnsa is 'in use in Co. Roscommon'.[2]
Co. AntrimMatheson 1890: 'Counties in which principally found Antrim.'[3]

Notable people named French

Nicholas French1604-1678Born in Wexford; Bishop of Ferns from 1643; writer who lived on the Continent after the Cromwellian invasion.[5]

Other spellings

Ffrench[4]

The French coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the French surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

French crest gifts

Clan French Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapJU51 Classic Cap - French Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap French Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

French surname: questions

Is French an Irish name?

Woulfe gives French as de Fréins, the name of an Anglo-Norman family in Co. Wexford, from the Norman 'de Freynes' meaning 'of the ash-trees'. He does not give it a Gaelic origin in that entry.[1]

What does the surname French mean?

Woulfe says de Fréins comes from the Norman 'de Freynes', Latin 'de Fraxinis', 'of the ash-trees', from residence beside them.[1]

What is the French connection with Galway?

Woulfe says a branch of the Wexford family settled in Galway in the 15th century and became one of the 'tribes', now represented by Lord ffrench and Lord De Freyne.[1]

What is the Irish-language form of French?

Woulfe prints de Fréins for the Anglo-Norman family and says Prionnsa, in use in Co. Roscommon, is 'probably only a modern rendering into Irish of the surname French'.[1][2]

Sources

  1. de Fréins — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), transcribed), LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/d/de-freins.php
  2. Prionnsa, Prionnsach — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923), transcribed), LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/p/prionnsa.php
  3. French — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/french.php
  4. French — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/652.php
  5. French, Nicholas — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/NicholasFrench.php

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).