Frain DNA Project- Background

Background

One of the main goals of the Frain DNA Projects is to determine which of the eligible surnames are genetically related.  The FRAIN, FREYNE, FRESNE and variant surnames can be either topographical or patronymic. As a toponym: 

'FREYNE. O.Fr. fresne, an ash-tree, from residence near one. So the modern Fr. surname Dufresne and our own Ash. In Norman times this name had the variantions Fresnel, Fresnay, Frenne, &c.'

[Mark Antony Lower, PATRONYMICA BRITANNICA, 1860, p.121]

Ernest Weekley [ROMANCE OF NAMES, Rep. by Kessinger Publishing, 2003, p.141] states:

‘Trees have in all countries a strong influence on topographical names, and hence on surnames. Frean, though usually from the Scandinavian name Fræna, is sometimes for Fr. frêne, ash,  Lat. fraxinus…’

An early patronym was the first name Fræna, with variant forms of Fráni or Frane: 

FRAMLAND wapentake in Leicestershire is said to derive its name from the Scandinavian personal name Fræna and lundr, meaning 'Fræna's grove' – with variants of the name including Frandone, Franelun, Franelund, Franland, Franlund and Framelund. The origins of the personal name Fræna are obscure; however, it is interesting to note that there were three prominent individuals with this name in England:

• Fræna, a Danish Jarl killed at Ashdown in 871

• Fræna Dux, a Danish noble who subscribed a charter of King Æthelstan in 930

• Fræna (aka Frane and Fráni), a king's thegn fl/ 983/93. He was of Rockingham, Leicestershire and may have been the father of Osulf fil Frame/Frane.   Other men named Frane held land at the Domesday survey.

During the Norman era, vowels and consonants were interchangeable, with the letters ‘n’ and ‘m’ in particular, making the etymology especially difficult for those with surnames such as Frain / Fraim, Frane / Frame etc.  Addressing the vagaries of Norman spelling in his book The Norman People in 1874 (pp.35-36), in which he identified English family names of Norman origin, Prof. E.A. Freeman stated: 

‘We have to look at the very oldest records to discover the types of these existing records. The forms of these local names are frequently so singular from their truncation, their ingenious substitutions of one letter for another, their phonetic spelling &c., that it is almost impossible to imagine whether they are local names, or patronymics, or Celtic names, or Hebrew, or Norman. They are to the last degree perplexing.’

Thus we can only speculate which of the Eligible Surname variants might be actual corruptions within a related family network but DNA testing can help. The DNA of the participants in the Project thus far, as well as the additional profiles that have been included on the RESULTS page, show most are not related within a genealogical timeframe and have quite distinct origins. Please consider having a male relative take a DNA test to determine whether your family is related to others within the Frain DNA Project, and to also help add some illumination for future generations researching these surnames. Genetic testing is the only way we will determine which of these many family surnames share a common ancestry.  

For more information of the history of the Frain and variants surname, please visit Martin Frain's website: www.frainfamilyhistory.com

Frain and variant family members are welcome to join the Frain DNA Project to order Family Finder, mtDNA or Y-DNA tests.  See FAQs. However, the main focus of the Frain DNA Project is Y-DNA which traces the father's father's father's line. If you are struggling with a genealogy birck wall, Y-DNA can match you with with related families (assuming they have DNA tested) so that you can compare your research notes and perhaps find your common ancestor.  If you have an eligible surname, you may order a DNA test at a discounted rate through the Frain DNA Project by clicking here: http://www.familytreedna.com/group-join.aspx?Group=frain

Thus far, the lines of descent submitted by participants in the Frain DNA Project are as follows:

MICHAEL FRENEY c.1834 St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada
Kit: 97615:  IRE? > CAN > USA

MICHAEL FRENEY b. c.1834 St Johns Newfoundland m. Maria O'Rourke
Thomas J Freney b.20 Dec 1870 St Johns Newfoundland m. Rosetta A O'Keefe
Cornelius J Freney b.23 Jun 1896 Boston MA USA m. Ruth Alvaraz

THOMAS FRAIN - Ireland
Kit 168736: IRE

THOMAS FRAIN b. ? IRE m. ?
John Frain b. abt. 1820 m. Bridget McLoughlin, Co.Mayo, Ireland
Thomas Frain b. 1841 m. Winifred Caffarkey, Co Mayo, Ireland
George Frain b. 1881 m. Bridget Plover, Co. Mayo, Ireland
Patrick Frain b. 1912 (*see image) m. Mary Mc Nulty, Co. Mayo, Ireland

JAMES FRENCH – Ireland
Kit 180023: IRE > ENG

JAMES FRENCH b. c. 1835 Co. Tyrone IRE m. Bridget Lynch
James French b. 30 Mar 1870 Rylands Co. Tyrone IRE m. Margaret Friel
James French b. 13 Apr 1891 Co. Donegal bur. Murlog, Illford Co. Donegal IRE m. Anne Ellis
Andrew French b. 1927 Co. Donegal d. Essex ENG m. Hildegard

DUFRESNE
Kit 175604: 

Lineage not submitted

A.E. FRAYNE
Kit 184780 

A. E. FRAYNE c.1863

Project Stats