I have been looking for information on the Freke name in England. I just received this information from someone in County Cork, Ireland:

The following is some information on a John Evans I received:

Castlefreke (m.) Rosscarbery/Clonakilty OS 143:24-132 1/2 - 36

This 18th century mansion, built in a Castellated style was designed by Sir Richard Morrison, a pupil of Gandin, for the Freke family. He was allowed to indulge his taste for fantasy in the enormous building, which is now a sad and crumbling ruin - seeming to have aged more than its predecessor, Rathbarry, which lies between it and
the wide white strand of Owenahincha.

The Freke family came originally from Cerne in Hampshire. In the 17th century Captain Arthur Freke acquired Rathbarry (q.v.) which suffered from a burning in 1642 and 1690. The Frekes then lived in a house constructed in the ruins until the completion of Castle Freke.
In 1741, Grace, the only daughter of Sir Ralph Freke married John Evans, of Bulgaden Hall in County Limerick. Their second son, also John, assumed the added name of Freke, became Sir John Evans Freke of Castlefreke, and the title passed through his line.

The Vaughan family had been given the title Earls of Carberry by Charles II but his family had become extinct, so in time the Frekes acquired this title also, and being the biggest landlords in the area lived in great style. By the first quarter of this century, however,
such a large rambling place had become unmanageable as a private home, and the last Lord Carberry, an eccentric at the least decided to abandon the title and the house. He became plain Mr. Carberry and emigrated to Kenya: in his last act he is said to have taken out a revolver and shot out the eye of the portrait of the first Lord Carberry which hung at the head of the stairs. He then closed the
door behind him and never visited the place again. He was an excellent shot, and the first Irishman to fly his own plane. He also had several wives, although not, one presumes, at the same time.

"Freke family came originally from Cerne in Hampshire"

Does anyone in and around Cerne Hampshire have any information on the Freke line?

Are there still any Freke still living there?

According to Chris Freke of New Zealand, James II offered the a Freke man 12000 acres if he would emmigrate to County Cork Ireland. Does this make sense?

Thanks

Bob Frakes
Oklahoma City, OK USA

My gggrandparents were Sarah Freke (Freake - Frake) christened October l, 1815 Holy Trinity, Kingswood by Bristol, Gloucester, England - parents Constantine and Jane Freke. Sarah married William Hunter (born about 1814 in Bitton)-marriage was April 22, 1832 at Bitton Parish Church. Between 1851 and 1853 Sarah and William Hunter came to Knox County, Ohio, USA where they are buried. Would be interested to know origin of your Freke family and if any of this sounds familiar. Loretta -Ohio, USA

Unfortunately this is the only information I have on origin of Sarah Freke except names of parents on christening: Constantine and Jane Freke - Bitton. According to FamilySearch Ancestral File Constantine Freke b. abt 1789 and christened Sept. 6, 1804 was son of William Freak b abt. 1754 Bitton and Mary Rodman b. abt. 1758 -Bitton. I have information on the entire family of William Hunter and Sarah Freke in Knox County, Ohio after coming from Cheltenham in 1851. Loretta (Hunter) Gebelin --Ohio - USA

Hi,

The Freke name is very old in England. I have done some research on this name and found that the Freke's were very wealthy and owned much land in southern England. I can't remember all the details now, but there was a William Freke that was a high official of the government.

We have much evidence that many of the modern Frakes came from England and were originally Freke. There is also some evidence that some came from Scotland and Ireland.

Do you have any information on the Freke in your line?

Thanks for the reply

Bob Frakes

This information might have come from a novel called White Mischief. Castle Freke, which lies West of Cork between Clonakilty and Skibbereen, is standing, not a crumbling ruin.
The lands that were part of the Carberry Baronetcy are part of
Irish National lands now, and considered as a park. Some roof repairs were made in recent years, but you can go through this castle. I did in '95. The Freke name(pronounced freck a ) is actually Danish. The first titled man of this line
was Ralphe Freke, who was accountant and treasurer to Henry VIII. I believe Elizabeth I ceded the Carberry Baronetcy to the Frekes. The line has other branches, and it is a bit more complicated than Evans married in. There are Frekes, Evans-Frekes, and Hussey-Frekes. Doing the research, I looked through decades worth of Burke's Peerage and later DeBrett's - and if you do you will see that there is a long gap
(many decades worth) before you come to the present day
title holders 11th Baron Carberry. Burke's and DeBrett's
are both commercial, and the families pay to list. There is also a national register published by the government which shows from the 6th Baron the line transfered over 3 times I believe as the then title holders died without issue. These were also Frekes, as the family was then spread through England and Ireland.

My ancestors are also Constantine & Jane Freke from Gloucester, England their 11th Child Silas Freke is my great- great grandfather. Silas married a Hannah Garland in Kingswood, Gloucester on 17 September 1850, they had 14 children and then their son, my grandfather, Timothy married an Ameila White in 1891and then came out to Australia in approx 1910. Would be interested to hear what information you have about the Freke line. Tania - Melbourne Australia

As far as I know there is no Cerne in Hampshire but there is a Cerne Abbas in the next county, Dorset. From my research on the Freakes(a gtx5 grandmother of mine was Hannah Freakes of Ash Surrey, b 1752) most of them, at least in the C18th, were living in the Guildford/Ash area of Surrey, in/near Ringwood in Hampshire(near Dorset border), and in the Bristol area. The vast majority of Freakes, Frekes etc had nothing to with landowning, Baronetcies, etc. Most were small scale farmers, hop-growers and malsters. regards Roger

Hello my name is Natalie Carbery.
I have been finding out some information about my back ground. as you can see my surname is Carbery. i came across a website
http://www.geocities.com/stephenfrakes/iFrekeCorkIreland.htm....
i was reading and im not 100% whats, whats.
it is saying that my last name could of been Frekes, as it wasnt until the 10th lord carbery who was john george evens-freke changed his name in kenya for lord Carbery...
so i am not 100% sure how to take this information. as my grandad had told me that many grandads was lord of rosscarbery and lived in the castelfreke if you coud help me in anyways then please i would love to no my past...

i hope this web site helps with information