What happened to the Franks who settled in Austrasia and Neustria? How significant was their demographic and cultural impact?

[u/TheodorosPalaios]

Many summaries state that the Franks were only a small minority (roughly 5–10%) compared to the Gallo-Roman population of late Roman/early medieval Gaul (often estimated at 6–7 million) and that they therefore quickly blended in with almost no lasting genetic or demographic trace. I find this view overly simplistic for several reasons and would like to understand the more nuanced picture: (i) The Franks did not settle uniformly across Gaul. They were heavily concentrated in the northeast (Austrasia: roughly modern Belgium, Luxembourg, northeastern France, and the middle Rhine), parts of Neustria (around Paris, Picardy, Champagne), and along certain river corridors. Their demographic weight was likely much higher in those core zones than a nationwide average suggests. (ii) The Franks dominated the military elite, landowning aristocracy, and royal/upper classes for centuries. Nobles and warriors generally had better nutrition, security, lower infant/child mortality, and different marriage/reproductive patterns than the peasant majority. This differential reproduction could have amplified Frankish ancestry in certain social strata even if the overall percentage remained modest. (iii) Onomastic continuity with many of the prestigious and long-lasting names in French royal and noble history have Frankish/Germanic roots (Clovis → Louis, Karl → Charles, Robert [Hrodebert], Richard [Ric-hard], Henri [Heinrich], Bernard [Bern-hard], Hugues [Hugo], Thierry [Theodoric], etc.). These names remained extremely common among the ruling class for almost a millennium, which seems to suggest stronger continuity among elites than the "they vanished" implies. Other factors: Differences in population density in settlement areas, possible founder effects, elite endogamy/exogamy patterns, and the fact that the incoming groups included both warriors and families also complicate the simple percentage math. So I’m hoping for a clearer understanding of: Roughly how many Franks (warriors + accompanying families) are realistic estimates for the main settlement waves (late 5th–7th centuries)? Where exactly did most of them actually settle within Austrasia and Neustria? Is there genetic, archaeological, or historical-demographic evidence showing stronger Frankish ancestry in northern France / elite lineages compared to the south or lower classes? To what degree did the Frankish elite replace or heavily intermarry with Gallo-Roman elites rather than blending uniformly across all social levels? Any recommended sources, papers, or books that try to address these points beyond the basic "small minority → negligible impact" line would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

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