National Franklin Day – April 28, 2024

History of National Franklin Day

The name ‘Franklin’ is an English name meaning ‘free landowner.’ This English name originated from the medieval English name ‘Frankeleyn.’ The name ‘Frankeyleyn’ was derived from the Anglo-Norman name ‘Fraunclien.’ There are many variations of the name, such as the masculine names Frank, Francis, and FransFranz and the feminine names Francesca, Francine, and Frances. Some opt to give their children the nickname Frankie as a first name. It’s also a common surname that was common in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920 but is now found primarily in the U.S.

In the medieval Kingdom of England from the 12th to the 15th century, the term ‘franklin’ was used to describe a social class. A franklin is a freeman who was not bound to the feudal system that was in place at the time. They are not a slave or a serf — a laborer that’s bound to a piece of land and works for whoever owns that land. This term evolved to refer to a freeholder. This means that the person who buys a property outright owns the property and the land it’s built on. This is opposed to a leaseholder who only owns the property and land temporarily while they continue paying rent for it. The term Franklin disappeared with the end of the feudal system as now every man is free.

This name was moderately popular in the 19th and 20th centuries, but became more common during the 30s and 40s, due to the beloved President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The name declined in popularity in the 21st century as it became a more old-fashioned option. However, the rise in using last names as first names could bring this traditional name back up.