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Frankel Surname Meaning & Origin

What the Frankel last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.

Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Frankel coat of arms for you.

Meaning and origin of the Frankel last name

Meaning of the Frankel last name: a descendant of little Frank (free). Elsdon Smith gives Frankel a German and French origin: a descendant of little Frank (free); someone who came from France; or someone who came from Franken, an old duchy in south central Germany. Around 19,079 people carry the Frankel name today, with many in the United States, England and Australia.

Arms associated with the Frankel name

Sharing a surname establishes no coat of arms entitlement; heraldry follows documented individual lineages.

Get your full Frankel family history

This is only a glimpse of the Frankel story. The full Frankel history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Frankel coat of arms. Get the full Frankel report.

Frankel name FAQ

What does the Frankel name mean?

A descendant of little Frank (free).

Where does the Frankel surname come from?

It originates in Germany, and is also found in the United States and England.

Is there a Frankel coat of arms?

Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Frankel coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.

Sources: Elsdon C. Smith, Dictionary of American Family Names (1956), individual surname entries; modern indexed dictionary entries supersede conflicting interpretations.; Forebears, Surnam.es and individual surname distribution references.