Franco is a common surname in Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Sephardic communities deriving from the word "Frank", in reference to the Germanic tribe of the

Franks The Franks ( la, Franci or ) were a group of Germanic peoples whose name was first mentioned in 3rd-century Roman sources, and associated with tribes between the Lower Rhine and the Ems River, on the edge of the Roman Empire.H. Schutz: Tools, ...

, who invaded

Gaul Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only durin ...

during the

Migration Period The Migration Period was a period in European history marked by large-scale migrations that saw the fall of the Western Roman Empire and subsequent settlement of its former territories by various tribes, and the establishment of the post-Roma ...

.Origin of the surname "Franco" in www.surnames.org
It is also commonly used as a given name in Italian.

Surname

Politicians

Federico Franco Luis Federico Franco Gómez (born 24 July 1962) is a Paraguayan politician who was President of Paraguay from June 2012 until August 2013. A member of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA), he was elected as Vice President of Paraguay in th ...

, former president of Paraguay *

Francisco Franco Francisco Franco Bahamonde (; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War and thereafter ruled over Spain from 19 ...

, Spanish general, dictator and head of state, “caudillo” of the Government * Gustavo Franco, Brazilian central banker * Itamar Franco, former president of Brazil *

João Franco João Franco Ferreira Pinto Castelo-Branco, GCTE (; (14 February 1855 in Alcaide, Fundão – 4 April 1929 in Anadia) was a Portuguese politician, minister, 43rd Minister for Treasury Affairs (14 January 1890) and 47th Prime Minister (19 ...

, prime minister of Portugal * Julio César Franco, former vice president of Paraguay * Manuel Franco, former president of Paraguay * Rafael Franco, former president of Paraguay

Artists

* Ani DiFranco, American musician * Buddy DeFranco, American jazz clarinetist * Daniel Franco, Los Angeles fashion designer * Diana Franco, Colombian Actress * Fulvia Franco, Italian actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder *

Giacomo Franco Giacomo is an Italian name. It is the Italian version of the Hebrew name Jacob. People * Giacomo (name), including a list of people with the name Other uses * Giacomo (horse), a race horse, winner of the 2005 Kentucky Derby * ''Giácomo'' (film) ...

, Italian etcher and publisher *

Hernando Franco Hernando Franco (1532 – November 28, 1585) was a Spanish composer of the Renaissance, who was mainly active in Guatemala and Mexico. Life Franco was born in Galizuela (now part of Esparragosa de Lares, Badajoz Province) in Extremadura, a so ...

, Spanish composer * James Franco, Dave Franco, and

Tom Franco Thomas Andrew Franco (born April 14, 1980) is an American actor, artist, and the founder of the Firehouse Art Collective in Berkeley, California. He is the brother of actors James Franco and Dave Franco. Early life and education Franco was born ...

, American actors * Jesús Franco and Ricardo Franco, Spanish directors and brothers * José Franco (poet), Panamanian poet *

Larry J. Franco Larry Joseph Franco (born April 5, 1949) is an American film producer. He has also served as an actor, second unit director and assistant director. He is the father of former Atlanta Braves baseball player Matt Franco and Phronsie Franco. He ...

, American film producer * Pippo Franco, Italian actor, comedian, television presenter and singer *

Tony DeFranco The DeFranco Family, featuring Tony DeFranco, was a 1970s pop music group and family from Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada. The group, all siblings, consisted of guitarist Benny DeFranco (born 11 July 1953); keyboardist Marisa DeFranco (born 23 July ...

, Canadian musician

Sports

* Danny Franco (born 1973), Israeli basketball coach in the

Israeli Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl ( he, ליגת העל, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is the top-tier level league of professional competition in Israeli club basketball, making it Israel's primary basketball ...

* Eduardo Franco Raymundo (1934–1996), Spanish chess master * Felipe Franco (born 1982), Brazilian water polo player * Godwin Franco (born 1985), Indian footballer * Guillermo Franco (born 1976), Mexican footballer *

Guillermo Franco (footballer, born 1983) Guillermo Franco (born 21 May 1983 in Buenos Aires) is a retired Argentine football defender. Football career After playing for Los Andes and Defensa y Justicia, Franco joined Godoy Cruz in 2002. He played with the team in the Argentine Pr ...

, Argentine footballer * John Franco (born 1960), American baseball pitcher * Julio Franco (born 1958), baseball player from the Dominican Republic * Leryn Franco (born 1982), Paraguayan javelin thrower and model * Maikel Franco (born 1992), Dominican baseball player * Manuel Franco (jockey) (born 1994), Puerto Rican professional jockey * Matt Franco (born 1969), American baseball player *

Wander Franco Wander Samuel Franco Aybar Sr. (born March 1, 2001), nicknamed "El Patron", is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2021. Professional career Minor le ...

(born 2001), Dominican baseball player for the Tampa Bay Rays

Others

* El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American politician *

Franklin Franco Franklin Franco Pichardo (14 November 1936 in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic – 15 June 2013 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) was a Dominican historian, sociologist, faculty member and politician from the Dominican Republic ...

(1936–2013), historian and academic from the Dominican Republic * Julio Franco Arango (1914–1980), Colombian Roman Catholic bishop * Marielle Franco, also known as Marielle Da Silva, (1979–2018), Brazilian activist * Ramón Franco (1896–1938), pioneer aviator and brother of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco *

Salvador Franco Salvador Franco (died 3 January 2021) was a Venezuelan Pemon political prisoner. Franco was detained in December 2019 accused of having participated on the 22 December in a barracks assault in Bolívar state, dying afterwards due to lack of med ...

(died 3 January 2021), Venezuelan detainee * Veronica Franco (1546–1591), Venetian courtesan and poet

Given name

* Franco Agamenone, Argentine tennis player * Franco Albini, Italian architect *

Franco Alfano Franco Alfano (8 March 1875 – 27 October 1954) was an Italian composer and pianist, best known today for his opera '' Risurrezione'' (1904) and for having completed Puccini's opera '' Turandot'' in 1926. He had considerable success with sever ...

, Italian composer *

Franco Amatori Franco Amatori is professor of economic history at Bocconi University, Milan, Italy. With a scholarship of the U.S.-Italy Fulbright Commission, Amatori spent three semesters in the individual studies program of Harvard Business School Harvard ...

, Italian economic historian * Franco Assetto, Italian sculptor and painter *

Franco Baresi Franchino Baresi (; born 8 May 1960) is an Italian football youth team coach and a former player and manager. He mainly played as a sweeper or as a central defender, and spent his entire 20-year career with Serie A club AC Milan, captaining th ...

, Italian footballer * Franco Battiato, Italian singer and songwriter * Franco Bolignari (1928–2020), Italian singer * Franco Bonera, Italian motorcycle racer * Franco Carraro, Italian sports director *

Franco Causio Franco Causio (; born 1 February 1949) is an Italian former professional footballer who won the 1982 FIFA World Cup and played for Juventus for many years in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Regarded as one of Italy's greatest ever wingers, througho ...

, Italian footballer * Franco Columbu, Italian bodybuilder * Franco Corelli, Italian tenor *

Franco Cozzo Franco Cozzo (2 October 1935 – 20 December 2023) was an Italian-Australian businessman. After moving to Melbourne from Sicily in 1955, Cozzo became known for his television advertisements, in which he would speak in English, Greek, and Italian ...

, Australian entrepreneur * Franco Cristaldi, Italian film producer * Franco De Vita, Venezuelan singer *

Franco Di Santo Franco Matías Di Santo (; born 7 April 1989) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a striker for the Chilean Primera División club Universidad Católica. Di Santo began his career at Chilean club Audax Italiano, earning a £3 ...

, Argentine footballer * Franco Evangelisti (composer) (1926–1980), Italian composer *

Franco Evangelisti (politician) Franco Evangelisti (10 February 1923 – 11 November 1993) was an Italian politician, a member of Democrazia Cristiana (DC) and a long-standing follower of Giulio Andreotti. Career A native of Alatri and a journalist by profession, Evangelisti wa ...

(1923–1993), Italian politician * Franco Fabrizi, Italian actor * Franco Ferrara, Italian conductor * Franco Foschi, Italian politician * Franco Fraticelli, Italian film editor *

Franco Frattini Franco Frattini (14 March 1957 – 24 December 2022) was an Italian politician and magistrate. From January to December 2022, Frattini served as president of the Council of State. Frattini previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from ...

, Italian politician * Franco Gibbons, Palauan politician * Franco Giraldi (1931–2020), Italian film director *

Franco Giuseppucci Franco Giuseppucci (; 3 March 1947 – 13 September 1980) was an Italian criminal, and one of the founders and bosses of the Banda della Magliana, an Italian criminal organization based in the city of Rome that was particularly active throughout ...

(1947–1980), Italian mobster *

Franco Grilla Franco Grilla (born July 21, 1970) is a former American football placekicker who played three seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL) with the Albany Firebirds and Orlando Predators. He played college football at the University of Central F ...

, American player of gridiron football * Franco Harris (1950–2022), American football player *

Franco Hernandez Franco Miguel Hernandez Lumanlan (April 1, 1991 – November 11, 2017), better known as Franco Hernandez or Hashtag Franco, was a Filipino television personality and dancer, who was a member of '' It's Showtime's'' all-male dance group called ...

(1991–2017), Filipino dancer and television personality * Franco Javier Iglesias, Cuban singer * Franco Leoni, Italian opera composer *

Franco Lo Cascio Luca Damiano (born Franco Lo Cascio; 29 August 1946) is an Italian film director. Born in Rome, Lo Cascio started his career as the assistant director of Fernando Di Leo in almost all the films he directed between 1967 and 1974. In 1974, he ma ...

(born 1946), birth name of Luca Damiano, Italian film director * Franco Luambo (1938–1989), Congolese musician *

Franco Lucentini Franco Lucentini (; 24 December 1920 – 5 August 2002) was an Italian writer, journalist, translator and editor of anthologies. Biography Born in Rome on 24 December 1920 to Emma Marzi and Venanzio Lucentini, a miller from the village of Viss ...

, Italian writer * Franco Malerba, Italian astronaut * Franco Marini, Italian politician * Franco Modigliani, Italian-American economist * Franco Modugno, Italian law professor and judge * Franco Morales (born 1992), Chilean basketball player * Franco Moretti, Italian scholar * Franco Moschino, Italian fashion designer * Franco Nero, Italian actor * Franco Neto, Brazilian beach volleyball player * Franco Ortolani (1943–2019), Italian academic and politician * Franco Pellizotti, Italian cyclist * Franco Purini (born 1941), Italian architect. * Franco Maria Ricci, Italian art publisher *

Franco Reviglio Franco Reviglio (born 3 February 1935) is an Italian academic, businessman and socialist politician, who served in various capacities in the public administration of Italy. Early life and education Reviglio was born in Turin in 1935. He was also ...

, Italian politician * Franco Sacchetti, Italian poet *

Franco Sar Franco Sar (21 December 1933 – 1 October 2018) was an Italian decathlete who held the national title from 1960 to 1965. Biography Sar competed at the 1960 and 1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 ( j ...

(1933–2018), Italian decathlete * Franco Scaglione, Italian automobile designer *

Franco Selvaggi Franco Selvaggi (; born 15 May 1953) is an Italian former football player. Born in Pomarico, province of Matera, he was deployed as a striker. Club career In his Serie A career (1972–1986), Selvaggi played for Ternana (1972–74), A.S. Roma ...

, Italian footballer * Franco Semioli, Italian footballer * Franco Simon (born 1974), Indian singer and music composer * Franco Uncini, Italian motorcycle racer * Franco Zeffirelli (1923–2019), Italian film director

References

{{given name, type=both Masculine given names Italian masculine given names Italian-language surnames Surnames of Italian origin