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: Too ...

, who invaded

Gaul Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the Eas ...

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-Rom ...

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

Surname

Politicians

* Federico Franco, 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 ...

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

Itamar Franco Itamar Augusto Cautiero Franco (; 28 June 19302 July 2011) was a Brazilian politician who served as the 33rd president of Brazil from 29 December 1992 to 31 December 1994. Previously, he was the 21st vice president of Brazil from 1990 until th ...

, former president of Brazil * João Franco, 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 Angela Maria "Ani" DiFranco (; born September 23, 1970) is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter. She has released more than 20 albums. DiFranco's music has been classified as folk rock and alternative rock, although it has additional influe ...

, American musician *

Buddy DeFranco Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco (February 17, 1923 – December 24, 2014) was an Italian-American jazz clarinetist. In addition to his work as a bandleader, DeFranco led the Glenn Miller Orchestra for almost a decade in the 1960s and ...

, American jazz clarinetist * Daniel Franco, Los Angeles fashion designer * Diana Franco, Colombian Actress * Fulvia Franco, Italian actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder * Giacomo Franco, Italian etcher and publisher * Hernando Franco, Spanish composer *

James Franco James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor and filmmaker. For his role in '' 127 Hours'' (2010), he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Franco is known for his roles in films, such as Sam Raimi's ''Spider-M ...

Dave Franco David John Franco (born June 12, 1985) is an American actor. He began his career with small roles in films such as '' Superbad'' (2007) and ''Charlie St. Cloud'' (2010). Following a starring role in the ninth season of the comedy series '' Scru ...

, 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 Jesús Franco Manera (12 May 1930 – 2 April 2013) was a Spanish filmmaker, composer, and actor, known as a prolific director of low-budget exploitation and B-movies. In a career spanning from 1959 to 2013, he wrote, directed, produced, acted ...

and Ricardo Franco, Spanish directors and brothers * José Franco (poet), Panamanian poet * Larry J. Franco, American film producer * Pippo Franco, Italian actor, comedian, television presenter and singer * Tony DeFranco, Canadian musician

Sports

Danny Franco Danny Franco (דני פרנקו; born 5 December 1973) is an Israeli basketball coach. He is currently the head coach of Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier League. Franco began his coaching path as coach for Hapoel Tel Aviv's youth teams, ...

(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 Felipe Malzac Franco (born May 07, 1985 in Rio de Janeiro) is a male water polo player from Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Lat ...

(born 1982), Brazilian water polo player * Godwin Franco (born 1985), Indian footballer * Guillermo Franco (born 1976), Mexican footballer * Guillermo Franco (footballer, born 1983), Argentine footballer *

John Franco John Anthony Franco (born September 17, 1960) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed relief pitcher between and . Franco established himself as an All-Star player with the Cincin ...

(born 1960), American baseball pitcher *

Julio Franco Julio César Franco Robles (born August 23, 1958)Franco's birth date is in question. Many of his early bios and cards have his birthday listed in 1954, and on the roster of the Quintana Roo Tigres, his birthday is listed in 1961. is a Dominica ...

(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 (born 2001), Dominican baseball player for the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home ven ...

Others

El Franco Lee El Franco Lee (January30, 1949January3, 2016) was an American politician who served as a Harris County commissioner from 1985 to his death in 2016. Before becoming a county commissioner, he served as a member of the Texas House of Representative ...

(1949–2016), American politician * Franklin Franco (1936–2013), historian and academic from the Dominican Republic *

Julio Franco Arango Julio Franco Arango (3 March 1914 – 16 September 1980) was a Colombian Roman Catholic bishop. Ordained to the priesthood in 1938, Arango was named bishop in June 1964. In August 1964, he was appointed bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of D ...

(1914–1980), Colombian Roman Catholic bishop * Marielle Franco, also known as Marielle Da Silva, (1979–2018), Brazilian activist *

Ramón Franco Ramón Franco Bahamonde (2 February 1896 – 28 October 1938), was a Spanish pioneer of aviation, a political figure and brother of later caudillo Francisco Franco. Well before the Spanish Civil War, during the reign of Alfonso XIII, both b ...

(1896–1938), pioneer aviator and brother of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco * Salvador Franco (died 3 January 2021), Venezuelan detainee *

Veronica Franco Veronica Franco (1546–1591) was an Italian poet and courtesan in 16th-century Venice. She is known for her notable clientele, feminist advocacy, literary contributions, and philanthropy. Her humanist education and cultural contributions influ ...

(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 several ...

, Italian composer * Franco Amatori, 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 ...

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

Franco Carraro Franco Carraro (born 6 December 1939) is an Italian sport manager and politician. Career Carraro was born on 6 December 1939 in Padua, at the time Kingdom of Italy. He worked in many high-profile roles in the public and private sectors. He ...

, 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, throughou ...

, Italian footballer *

Franco Columbu Francesco Maria Columbu (August 7, 1941 – August 30, 2019) was an Italian bodybuilder, powerlifter, actor, author, producer, and a licensed chiropractor. Originally a boxer, Columbu won the Mr. Olympia in 1976 and 1981, and competed in the ...

, Italian bodybuilder *

Franco Corelli Franco Corelli (8 April 1921 – 29 October 2003) was an Italian tenor who had a major international opera career between 1951 and 1976. Associated in particular with the spinto and dramatic tenor roles of the Italian repertory, he was cel ...

, Italian tenor * Franco Cozzo, Australian entrepreneur *

Franco Cristaldi Franco Cristaldi (3 October 1924 – 1 July 1992) was an Italian film producer, credited with producing (or co-producing) feature films from the 1950s to the 1990s. Career In 1946 Cristaldi founded ''Vides Cinematografica'' in Turin. This product ...

, Italian film producer *

Franco De Vita Franco Atilio De Vita De Vito (born January 23, 1954, in Caracas, Venezuela) is a Venezuelan Latin Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter. His first album as a solo artist garnered three Spanish-language hits in Venezuela. He signed with the ...

, Venezuelan singer * Franco Di Santo, Argentine footballer *

Franco Evangelisti (composer) Franco Evangelisti (January 21, 1926 – January 28, 1980) was an Italian composer specifically interested in the scientific theories behind sound. Biography Born in Rome, Evangelisti abandoned engineering studies in order to dedicate himself to ...

(1926–1980), Italian composer * Franco Evangelisti (politician) (1923–1993), Italian politician *

Franco Fabrizi Franco Fabrizi (; 15 February 1916 – 18 October 1995) was an Italian actor. Life and career Son of a barber and a cinema cashier, Franco Fabrizi started his career as a model and an actor in fotoromanzi. Fabrizi also starred on several revu ...

, 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 Franco Gibbons (born 1980-83) is a Palauan politician. In January 2018, he became the youngest Governor of Koror The governor of Koror is the head of government of Koror Koror is the state comprising the main commercial centre of the Republic o ...

, Palauan politician * Franco Giraldi (1931–2020), Italian film director * Franco Giuseppucci (1947–1980), Italian mobster * Franco Grilla, American player of gridiron football *

Franco Harris Franco Harris (March 7, 1950 – December 20, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A nine-time Pro Bowl selection ...

(1950–2022), American football player * Franco Hernandez (1991–2017), Filipino dancer and television personality * Franco Javier Iglesias, Cuban singer *

Franco Leoni Franco Leoni (24 October 1864 – 8 February 1949) was an Italian opera composer. After training in Milan, he made most of his career in England, composing for Covent Garden and West End theatres. He is best known for the opera ''L'Oracol ...

, Italian opera composer * Franco Lo Cascio (born 1946), birth name of Luca Damiano, Italian film director * Franco Luambo (1938–1989), Congolese musician * Franco Lucentini, Italian writer * Franco Malerba, Italian astronaut *

Franco Marini Franco Marini (9 April 1933 – 9 February 2021) was an Italian politician and a prominent member of the centre-left Democratic Party. From 2006 to 2008, he was the president of the Senate. Biography Trade unionist Marini was born in San Pi ...

, Italian politician *

Franco Modigliani Franco Modigliani (18 June 1918 – 25 September 2003) was an Italian-American economist and the recipient of the 1985 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics. He was a professor at University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Carnegie Mellon Univ ...

, Italian-American economist *

Franco Modugno Franco Modugno (born 3 May 1938) is an Italian judge and former law professor at the Sapienza University of Rome. He has been Judge of the Constitutional Court of Italy since 21 December 2015. Career Modugno was born in Rome on 3 May 1938. He ob ...

, Italian law professor and judge * Franco Morales (born 1992), Chilean basketball player *

Franco Moretti Franco Moretti (born 1950 in Sondrio) is an Italian literary historian and theorist. He graduated in Modern Literatures from the University of Rome in 1972. He has taught at the universities of Salerno (1979–1983) and Verona (1983–1990); in the ...

, Italian scholar *

Franco Moschino Franco Moschino (27 February 1950 – 18 September 1994) was an Italian fashion designer best known as the founder of the Italian fashion house Moschino. Early years He was born in Abbiategrasso, Lombardy, located c. 22 km from Milan ...

, Italian fashion designer *

Franco Nero Francesco Clemente Giuseppe Sparanero (born 23 November 1941), known professionally as Franco Nero, is an Italian actor, producer, and director. His breakthrough role was as the title character in the Spaghetti Western film '' Django'' (1966), ...

, Italian actor * Franco Neto, Brazilian beach volleyball player * Franco Ortolani (1943–2019), Italian academic and politician *

Franco Pellizotti Franco Pellizotti (born 15 January 1978) is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer, who rode professionally between 2001 and 2018 for the Alessio, , and teams. Pellizotti now works as a directeur sportif for the team. Career Pelliz ...

, Italian cyclist * Franco Purini (born 1941), Italian architect. * Franco Maria Ricci, Italian art publisher * Franco Reviglio, Italian politician *

Franco Sacchetti Franco Sacchetti (; c. 1335 – c. 1400), was an Italian poet and novelist. Biography Born in Florence or in Ragusa (modern Dubrovnik), he was the son of Benci di Uguccione, surnamed ''"Buono"'', a Florentine merchant of the noble and an ...

, Italian poet * Franco Sar (1933–2018), Italian decathlete * Franco Scaglione, Italian automobile designer * Franco Selvaggi, Italian footballer * Franco Semioli, Italian footballer * Franco Simon (born 1974), Indian singer and music composer * Franco Uncini, Italian motorcycle racer *

Franco Zeffirelli Gian Franco Corsi Zeffirelli (12 February 1923 – 15 June 2019), was an Italian stage and film director, producer, production designer and politician. He was one of the most significant opera and theatre directors of the post-World War II era, ...

(1923–2019), Italian film director

References

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