579+ French Last Names [With Meanings]

French last names, also known as surnames or family names, have a rich history and can be traced back to the Middle Ages.

They have evolved over time and have been influenced by various factors such as geography, social class, and occupation.

Here are some key characteristics of French last names:

Patronyms: Many French last names originated from patronymic names, which were derived from the first name of the father. These names often had a suffix like “-eau,” “-el,” “-et,” “-ot,” or “-on” (e.g., Martin > Martineau, Pierre > Pierrel, Jean > Jeannot).
Occupational names: Some French surnames were based on a person’s occupation or trade. For example, Boulanger (baker), Charpentier (carpenter), or Maréchal (blacksmith).
Toponyms: Toponyms are surnames derived from the name of a geographical location, often where the person lived or owned land. Examples include Dupont (from the bridge), Lefebvre (from the smithy), and Deschamps (from the fields).
Descriptive names: Some French last names were created based on a person’s physical characteristics or personality traits. For example, Legrand (the tall), Lepetit (the small), or Leblanc (the white or fair-haired).
Nobility and aristocracy: Surnames associated with the nobility or aristocracy often have the prefix “de” or “d'”, which means “of” or “from.” These surnames signify a connection to a specific place or estate, such as De La Tour (of the tower) or D’Orléans (from Orléans).
Regional variations: The diverse linguistic and cultural history of France has resulted in regional variations in surnames. For example, last names in Brittany may have Celtic origins, while those from Provence may have Occitan influences.
Spelling variations: Due to historical differences in spelling and pronunciation, French surnames may have multiple variations. This can be seen in names like Lefèvre and Lefebvre, both originating from the same occupation.
Adaptation to other languages: As people with French surnames immigrated to other countries, their last names were sometimes anglicized or adapted to the local language. For example, the surname “Beauchamp” may have become “Beecham” in English-speaking countries.

In summary, French last names have a diverse range of origins, including patronyms, occupations, geographical locations, physical characteristics, and more.

They also display regional variations and can change in spelling or pronunciation over time or across different cultures.

We look at hundreds of French last names across many categories.

We also explore their meanings.

Let’s take a look 🙂

Table of Contents

French Last Names and Meanings

Here are 70+ common French last names and their meanings:

Martin – from the Latin name “Martinus,” meaning “of Mars”
Bernard – from the Germanic name “Bernhard,” meaning “brave as a bear”
Dupont – from the French words “du” (of/from) and “pont” (bridge)
Durand – from the Latin name “Durandus,” meaning “enduring”
Dubois – from the French words “du” (of/from) and “bois” (wood)
Lambert – from the Germanic name “Lambert,” meaning “bright land”
Lefebvre – from the French words “le” (the) and “febvre” (blacksmith)
Girard – from the Germanic name “Girhard,” meaning “spear hardy”
Moreau – from the French words “more” (moor) and “eau” (water)
Fournier – from the French word “four” (oven)
Roux – from the French word “roux” (red, auburn)
Laurent – from the Latin name “Laurentius,” meaning “of Laurentum”
Petit – from the French word “petit” (small)
Leclerc – from the French word “le” (the) and “clerc” (clerk)
Marchand – from the French word “marchand” (merchant)
Dubé – from the French word “dubé” (doubtful)
Mercier – from the French word “merci” (thanks)
Pelletier – from the French word “pellet” (bullet)
Vidal – from the Latin name “Vitalis,” meaning “life-giving”
Faure – from the Latin word “faba” (bean)
Roche – from the French word “roche” (rock)
Gaillard – from the Old French word “gaillard” (lively, jolly)
Reynaud – from the Germanic name “Raginald,” meaning “advice of the ruler”
Dubois – from the French words “du” (of/from) and “bois” (wood)
Charpentier – from the French word “charpentier” (carpenter)
Boucher – from the French word “boucher” (butcher)
Le Gall – from the Breton word “gall” (foreigner)
Hébert – from the Germanic name “Heribert,” meaning “bright army”
Blanchard – from the French word “blanc” (white)
Lemieux – from the French words “le” (the) and “mieux” (better)
Masson – from the French word “maçon” (mason)
François – from the Latin name “Franciscus,” meaning “Frenchman”
Rousseau – from the French words “roux” (red, auburn) and “seau” (stream)
Gauthier – from the Germanic name “Waldhari,” meaning “ruler of the army”
Leblanc – from the French words “le” (the) and “blanc” (white)
Perrin – from the Latin name “Petronius,” meaning “rock, stone”
Lemay – from the French words “le” (the) and “mai” (May)
Deschamps – from the French words “des” (of/from) and “champs” (fields)
Noel – from the French word “noël” (Christmas)
Dubourg – from the French words “du” (of/from) and “bourg” (town)
Chevalier – from the French word “chevalier” (knight)
Boulanger – from the French word “boulanger” (baker)
Gagné – from the French word “gagner” (to win)
Barbeau – from the French word “barbe” (beard)
Fontaine – from the French word “fontaine” (fountain)
Gosselin – from the Germanic name “Goslen,” meaning “son of Gosse”
Tremblay – from the Old French word “tremble” (to tremble)
Roy – from the Old French word “roi” (king)
Dubé – from the French word “dubé” (doubtful)
Beaulieu – from the French words “beau” (beautiful) and “lieu” (place)
Caron – from the Old French word “caron” (cartwright)
Fortin – from the Latin word “fortis” (strong)
Lavoie – from the French words “la” (the) and “voie” (way, road)
Labbé – from the Latin word “abbas” (abbot)
Couture – from the French word “couture” (sewing)
Desrosiers – from the French words “des” (of/from) and “rosier” (rosebush)
Leclair – from the French words “le” (the) and “clair” (clear, bright)
Boulay – from the French word “boulai” (public square)
Guillemette – from the Germanic name “Wilhelm,” meaning “will, helmet”
Mercure – from the Roman god “Mercury”
Prévost – from the Old French word “prevost” (provost, overseer)
Beaudoin – from the Germanic name “Baldwin,” meaning “bold friend”
Gaudreau – from the Germanic name “Waldhari,” meaning “ruler of the army”
Beaumont – from the French words “beau” (beautiful) and “mont” (mountain)
Gervais – from the Germanic name “Gervasius,” meaning “spear servant”
Côté – from the Old French word “costé” (side)
Poirier – from the French word “poirier” (pear tree)
Verreault – from the Latin word “viridis” (green)
Garneau – from the Old French word “garnier” (guard)
Vachon – from the French word “vache” (cow)

Common French Last Names

Common French Last Names:

Martin – derived from the Latin name Martinus, meaning “of Mars,” the Roman god of war
Dupont – literally means “from the bridge”
Dubois – literally means “of the wood” or “from the forest”
Moreau – derived from the Latin name Maurus, meaning “Moor” or “dark-skinned”
Laurent – derived from the Latin name Laurentius, meaning “from Laurentum,” a city in ancient Italy
Garcia – derived from the Basque name Gaztea, meaning “young”
Rousseau – means “red-haired”
Lefebvre – derived from the Latin name Faber, meaning “smith”
Girard – derived from the Germanic name Gerhard, meaning “spear hardy”
Mercier – means “merchant”

French Last Names in Order of Popularity

Here are the top 100+ French last names in order of popularity, along with their meanings:

Martin – From the Latin “Martinus,” meaning “of Mars,” the Roman god of war.
Bernard – From the Germanic name “Bernhard,” meaning “brave as a bear.”
Dubois – “Of the woods” or “of the forest.”
Thomas – From the Aramaic “t’oma,” meaning “twin.”
Robert – From the Germanic name “Hrodebert,” meaning “bright fame.”
Richard – From the Germanic name “Ricohard,” meaning “brave ruler.”
Petit – “Small” or “little.”
Durand – From the Germanic name “Durandus,” meaning “enduring.”
Bonnet – “Cap” or “hat.”
Moreau – “Of the Moor” or “of the dark-skinned people.”
Laurent – From the Latin name “Laurentius,” meaning “of Laurentum,” a city in Italy.
Simon – From the Hebrew name “Shim’on,” meaning “he has heard.”
Roux – “Red” or “ginger.”
Fournier – “Baker.”
Girard – From the Germanic name “Girard,” meaning “spear hardy.”
Mercier – “Merchant.”
Dupont – “Of the bridge.”
Lambert – From the Germanic name “Landberht,” meaning “land bright.”
Gauthier – From the Germanic name “Gaut-hari,” meaning “army of the Geats.”
Morel – “Dark-skinned” or “tanned.”
Faure – “Smith” or “blacksmith.”
Rousseau – “Red-haired.”
Blanc – “White.”
Henry – From the Germanic name “Heimirich,” meaning “home ruler.”
Chevalier – “Knight.”
David – From the Hebrew name “David,” meaning “beloved.”
Lefebvre – “The smith.”
Legrand – “The great.”
Garnier – “Keeper of grain” or “guardian.”
Andre – From the Greek name “Andreas,” meaning “manly.”
Noel – “Christmas” or “born on Christmas.”
Maillard – “Miller.”
Picard – “From Picardy,” a region in northern France.
Colin – “Victorious people.”
Dufour – “Of the oven” or “of the hearth.”
Dumont – “Of the hill” or “of the mountain.”
Gaillard – “Cheerful” or “lively.”
Leroy – “The king.”
Roy – “King.”
Marchand – “Merchant.”
Dupuis – “Of the well.”
Muller – “Miller.”
Meunier – “Miller.”
Bertrand – From the Germanic name “Berhtramn,” meaning “bright raven.”
Adam – From the Hebrew name “Adam,” meaning “man.”
Henry – From the Germanic name “Heimirich,” meaning “home ruler.”
Noel – “Christmas” or “born on Christmas.”
Gerard – From the Germanic name “Gerhard,” meaning “spear hardy.”
Bertrand – From the Germanic name “Berhtramn,” meaning “bright raven.”
Leroux – “The red-haired one.”
Brun – “Brown.”
Dupuy – “Of the well.”
Vidal – From the Latin name “Vitalis,” meaning “vital” or “lively.”
Noel – “Christmas” or “born on Christmas.”
Garnier – “Keeper of grain” or “guardian.”
Menard – From the Germanic name “Manhard,” meaning “strong man.”
Roche – “Rock.”
Boucher – “Butcher.”
Roussel – “Red-haired.”
Giraud – From the Germanic name “Giraldus,” meaning “spear ruler.”
Joly – “Merry” or “cheerful.”
Leclerc – “The clerk” or “the scholar.”
Roger – From the Germanic name “Hrodegar,” meaning “famous spear.”
Lebrun – “The brown-haired one.”
Dupuis – “Of the well.”
Aubert – From the Germanic name “Alberht,” meaning “bright nobility.”
Leroux – “The red-haired one.”
Caron – “Cartwright.”
Gerard – From the Germanic name “Gerhard,” meaning “spear hardy.”
Dubois – “Of the woods” or “of the forest.”
Lambert – From the Germanic name “Landberht,” meaning “land bright.”
Henry – From the Germanic name “Heimirich,” meaning “home ruler.”
Noel – “Christmas” or “born on Christmas.”
Bernard – From the Germanic name “Bernhard,” meaning “brave as a bear.”
Mathieu – From the Hebrew name “Matityahu,” meaning “gift of God.”
Philippe – From the Greek name “Philippos,” meaning “lover of horses.”
Mercier – “Merchant.”
Olivier – From the Latin name “Oliverius,” meaning “olive tree.”
Remy – From the Latin name “Remigius,” meaning “oarsman.”
Blanc – “White.”
Rousseau – “Red-haired.”
Lemaire – “The mayor” or “the headman.”
Michel – From the Hebrew name “Mikha’el,” meaning “who is like God?”
Carpentier – “Carpenter.”
Chevalier – “Knight.”
Fabre – “Smith” or “blacksmith.”
Garnier – “Keeper of grain” or “guardian.”
Lacroix – “The cross.”
Lemoine – “The monk” or “the hermit.”
Dubois – “Of the woods” or “of the forest.”
Simon – From the Hebrew name “Shim’on,” meaning “he has heard.”
Rolland – From the Germanic name “Hruodland,” meaning “famous land.”
Charpentier – “Carpenter.”
Barbe – “Beard.”
Boulanger – “Baker.”
Petit – “Small” or “little.”
Gauthier – From the Germanic name “Gaut-hari,” meaning “army of the Geats.”
Girard – From the Germanic name “Girard,” meaning “spear hardy.”
Prevost – “Provost” or “chief.”
Aubry – From the Germanic name “Alberich,” meaning “elf ruler.”

Other Popular French Surnames

Herve – From the Breton name “Herve,” meaning “battle worthy.”
Collet – “Little neck.”
Hubert – From the Germanic name “Hugubert,” meaning “bright mind.”
Langlois – “The Englishman” or “the Norman.”
Louvet – “Little wolf.”
Marechal – “Marshal” or “commander.”
Marquet – “Little Marcus,” referring to the Roman name.
Michel – From the Hebrew name “Mikha’el,” meaning “who is like God?”
Montagne – “Mountain.”
Pelletier – “Skin peeler,” referring to a furrier.
Peltier – “Skin peeler,” referring to a furrier.
Poirier – “Pear tree.”
Renaud – From the Germanic name “Reginwald,” meaning “counsel of the ruler.”
Rigaud – From the Germanic name “Richwald,” meaning “powerful ruler.”
Rivoire – “River bank.”
Rousse – “Red-haired.”
Salomon – From the Hebrew name “Shelomo,” meaning “peaceful.”
Tanguy – From the Breton name “Tangui,” meaning “fire chief.”
Tardif – “Late” or “delayed.”
Thibault – From the Germanic name “Theudobald,” meaning “people bold.”
Vaillant – “Valiant” or “brave.”
Vallée – “Valley.”
Vasseur – “Farmhand” or “servant.”
Verdon – “Green” or “verdant.”
Vidal – From the Latin name “Vitalis,” meaning “vital” or “lively.”
Villeneuve – “New town” or “new village.”
Vincent – From the Latin name “Vincentius,” meaning “conquering.”
Vitale – From the Latin name “Vitalis,” meaning “vital” or “lively.”
Allard – From the Germanic name “Adalhard,” meaning “noble and hardy.”
Archambault – From the Germanic name “Arcambald,” meaning “precious and bold.”
Armand – From the Germanic name “Harmann,” meaning “soldier.”
Auger – From the Latin name “Augustus,” meaning “great” or “venerable.”
Bastien – From the Greek name “Sebastianos,” meaning “revered.”
Belanger – “Beautiful” or “lovely.”
Benoit – From the Latin name “Benedictus,” meaning “blessed.”
Berger – “Shepherd.”
Bertin – From the Germanic name “Berhtinus,” meaning “bright.”
Bonneau – “Good water.”
Brault – From the Germanic name “Berwald,” meaning “bright rule.”
Brien – From the Irish name “Brian,” meaning “noble.”
Brisson – “Son of Brice,” a personal name.
Cabot – “Dog” or “hound.”
Carlier – “Maker of chariots.”
Carrier – “Transporter” or “carrier.”
Chabot – “Fish,” possibly referring to a fisherman.

French last names Les noms de famille français

Royal French Last Names

Royal French Last Names:

Bourbon – the name of the French royal family that ruled from 1589 until 1792
Valois – a French royal house that ruled from 1328 to 1589
Capet – the name of the French royal dynasty that ruled from 987 to 1328
Orléans – a French royal family that originated in the city of Orléans in the Loire Valley
Montpensier – a French noble family that was a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon
Berry – a region in central France that was once ruled by the House of Berry
Angoulême – a French noble family that originated in the town of Angoulême in southwestern France
Anjou – a French royal house that ruled from 1360 to 1480
Bourgogne – a region in eastern France that was once ruled by the House of Burgundy
Foix – a French noble family that originated in the town of Foix in southwestern France

Popular French Last Names

Popular French Last Names:

Petit – means “small”
Dubois – literally means “of the wood” or “from the forest”
Moreau – derived from the Latin name Maurus, meaning “Moor” or “dark-skinned”
Dupont – literally means “from the bridge”
Martin – derived from the Latin name Martinus, meaning “of Mars,” the Roman god of war
Girard – derived from the Germanic name Gerhard, meaning “spear hardy”
Garcia – derived from the Basque name Gaztea, meaning “young”
Durand – derived from the Germanic name Durand, meaning “enduring”
Lambert – derived from the Germanic name Landberht, meaning “land bright”
Dumont – means “of the mountain”

Unique French Last Names

Unique French Last Names:

Deschamps – means “of the fields”
Bélanger – means “beautiful singer”
Lemieux – means “the best”
Faure – means “blacksmith”
Bruneau – means “brown-haired”
Joubert – means “manly”
Boudreau – means “bold raven”
Pelletier – means “furrier”
Dufresne – means “of the ash tree”
Proulx – means “valiant”

French Canadian French Last Names

French Canadian French Last Names:

Tremblay – means “quaking aspen”
Bouchard – means “keeper of goats”
Gagné – means “winner” or “conqueror”
Leblanc – means “the white one”
Roy – means “king”
Lapointe – means “the point”
Lavoie – means “the road” or “the way”
Beaulieu – means “beautiful place”
Thibault – derived from the Germanic name Theobald, meaning “bold people”
Pelletier – means “furrier”
Caron – derived from the Germanic name Charon, meaning “free man”
Dubé – derived from the Latin name Dubius, meaning “doubtful” or “uncertain”
Gaudreau – means “joyful” or “merry”
Côté – means “side” or “coast”
Champagne – means “field of open country”

Old French Last Names

Old French Last Names:

de Montfort – means “from the fortified hill”
de la Fontaine – means “from the fountain”
de la Croix – means “of the cross”
de la Rue – means “of the street”
de la Roche – means “of the rock”
de la Tour – means “of the tower”
de la Vallée – means “of the valley”
de la Mare – means “of the pond”
de la Forêt – means “of the forest”
de la Haye – means “of the hedge”

French Last Names for Girls

French Last Names for Girls:

Dubois – literally means “of the wood” or “from the forest”
Fontaine – means “fountain”
Mercier – means “merchant”
Blanchard – means “white”
Dupont – literally means “from the bridge”
Moreau – derived from the Latin name Maurus, meaning “Moor” or “dark-skinned”
Rousseau – means “red-haired”
Chevalier – means “knight”
Tremblay – means “quaking aspen”
Bernard – derived from the Germanic name Bernhard, meaning “brave as a bear”

French Last Names for Boys

French Last Names for Boys:

Martin – derived from the Latin name Martinus, meaning “of Mars,” the Roman god of war
Girard – derived from the Germanic name Gerhard, meaning “spear hardy”
Garcia – derived from the Basque name Gaztea, meaning “young”
Lambert – derived from the Germanic name Landberht, meaning “land bright”
Durand – derived from the Germanic name Durand, meaning “enduring”
Beaulieu – means “beautiful place”
Thibault – derived from the Germanic name Theobald, meaning “bold people”
Pelletier – means “furrier”
Joubert – means “manly”
Gagné – means “winner” or “conqueror”

Fancy French Last Names

Fancy French Last Names:

Dubois – “of the woods”
Blanc – “white”
Dufour – “of the fountain”
Moreau – “brown-skinned”
Fournier – “baker”
Girard – “brave spearman”
Dupont – “of the bridge”
Lambert – “bright land”
Rousseau – “red-haired”
Lefevre – “blacksmith”
Leroy – “the king”
Mercier – “merchant”
Chevalier – “knight”
Martin – “warrior”
Dupuis – “of the well”
Lacroix – “the cross”
Boucher – “butcher”
Gauthier – “ruler of the army”
Reynaud – “wise ruler”
Leclerc – “clerk”
Bernard – “brave as a bear”
Thierry – “ruler of the people”
Laurent – “crowned with laurels”
Deschamps – “of the fields”
Charpentier – “carpenter”
Fontaine – “fountain”
Dubois – “of the woods”
Noel – “Christmas”
Picard – “from Picardy”
Potier – “potter”

French Last Names – 1900s

Dupont – “From the bridge”
Dubois – “Of the wood”
Martin – “Warrior of Mars”
Bernard – “Brave as a bear”
Petit – “Small”
Moreau – “Dark-skinned”
Girard – “Spear hardy”
Faure – “Blacksmith”
Roussel – “Red-haired”
Lefevre – “The blacksmith”
Mercier – “Merchant”
Garnier – “Defender”
Durand – “Enduring”
Lambert – “Bright land”
Fournier – “Baker”

French Last Names – 1800s

Legrand – “The big”
Bonnet – “Hat”
Bouchard – “From the woods”
Denis – “Follower of Dionysius”
Poirier – “Pear tree”
Schmitt – “Smith”
Gauthier – “Army ruler”
Mercier – “Merchant”
Leroy – “The king”
Dufour – “Of the oven”
Aubert – “Bright nobility”
Barreau – “Iron bar”
Rousset – “Reddish”
Fabre – “Craftsman”
Marchand – “Merchant”

French Last Names – 1700s

Renard – “Fox”
Leclerc – “The clerk”
Maillard – “One who grinds grain”
Simon – “Listener”
Gautier – “Army ruler”
Blanchard – “White”
Gaillard – “Cheerful”
Bertrand – “Bright raven”
Lacroix – “The cross”
Boucher – “Butcher”
Collet – “Culvert”
Vasseur – “Vintner”
Langlois – “The Englishman”
Godin – “God’s protection”
Bailly – “Bailiff”

Medieval French Last Names

Chevalier – “Knight”
de la Roche – “Of the rock”
de la Mare – “Of the sea”
de la Rue – “Of the street”
de la Fontaine – “Of the fountain”
de la Croix – “Of the cross”
de la Vallée – “Of the valley”
de la Tour – “Of the tower”
de la Haye – “Of the hedge”
de la Forêt – “Of the forest”
de la Plaine – “Of the plain”
du Bois – “Of the woods”
du Champs – “Of the fields”
du Plessis – “Of the Plessis (a type of fortified castle)”
du Pont – “Of the bridge”

French Last Names During the French Revolution

French Last Names During the French Revolution:

Dumas – derived from the Old French word for “dome” or “hill,” it was a common name among French soldiers during the revolution.
Robespierre – named after the famous French revolutionary leader, Maximilien Robespierre.
Bonaparte – made famous by Napoleon Bonaparte, the French military and political leader.
Lafayette – named after Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, a French aristocrat and military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War.
Desmoulins – named after Camille Desmoulins, a journalist and politician who played a key role in the French Revolution.
Marat – named after Jean-Paul Marat, a journalist and politician who was assassinated during the revolution.
Mirabeau – named after Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau, a French politician and writer who was an early supporter of the revolution.
Saint-Just – named after Louis Antoine de Saint-Just, a French revolutionary leader and close associate of Robespierre.
Condorcet – named after Nicolas de Condorcet, a French philosopher and mathematician who was a leading figure in the Enlightenment and supported the revolution.
Gouge – named after Olympe de Gouges, a French playwright and political activist who advocated for women’s rights during the revolution.
Brissot – named after Jacques Pierre Brissot, a French journalist and politician who was a leader of the Girondins, a moderate faction during the revolution.
Collot – named after Jean-Marie Collot d’Herbois, a French actor and politician who played a key role in the Reign of Terror.
Fouché – named after Joseph Fouché, a French statesman and Minister of Police under Napoleon.
Tallien – named after Jean-Lambert Tallien, a French politician who played a key role in the overthrow of Robespierre.
Pétion – named after Jérôme Pétion de Villeneuve, a French politician who served as the first mayor of Paris during the revolution.

Cool French Last Names

Cool French Last Names:

Beaumont – derived from the French words “beau” (beautiful) and “mont” (mountain), meaning “beautiful mountain.”
Dupont – a common French surname meaning “from the bridge.”
Bouchard – derived from the Old French word “bouche” (mouth), meaning “one who has a big mouth” or “one who talks a lot.”
Durand – a common French surname meaning “enduring” or “lasting.”
Laurent – derived from the Latin name Laurentius, meaning “man from Laurentum,” a city in ancient Italy.
Moreau – derived from the Old French words “more” (Moor) and “eau” (water), meaning “dark-skinned water.”
Berger – derived from the Old French word “berger” (shepherd), meaning “one who tends to sheep.”
Lefebvre – derived from the Old French word “faber” (smith), meaning “the smith.”
Girard – derived from the Old Germanic name Gérard, meaning “brave with a spear.”
Charpentier – derived from the Old French word “charpentier” (carpenter), meaning “one who builds with wood.”
Marchand – derived from the Old French word “marchand” (merchant), meaning “one who sells goods.”
Rousseau – derived from the Old French word “rous” (red), meaning “red-haired” or “red-faced.”
Picard – derived from the region of Picardy in northern France.
Bernard – derived from the Old Germanic name Bernhard, meaning “brave as a bear.”
Noel – derived from the French word “noël,” meaning “Christmas.”
Corbeau – derived from the French word for “raven.”

Pretty French Last Names

Pretty French Last Names:

Amélie – derived from the French name Amélie, meaning “hardworking” or “industrious.”
Blanc – derived from the French word “blanc” (white).
Brigitte – derived from the French name Brigitte, meaning “strength” or “power.”
Dubois – a common French surname meaning “of the woods.”
Faure – derived from the Old French word “faure” (blacksmith), meaning “one who works with iron.”
Fontaine – derived from the French word “fontaine” (fountain).
Gagné – derived from the French word “gagner” (to win), meaning “one who wins.”
Jolie – derived from the French word “jolie” (pretty) or “joyeux” (joyful).
Leblanc – derived from the French words “le” (the) and “blanc” (white).
Lecomte – derived from the French words “le” (the) and “comte” (count), meaning “the count.”
Leroux – derived from the French words “le” (the) and “roux” (red), meaning “the red one.”
Martin – derived from the Latin name Martinus, meaning “of Mars,” the Roman god of war.
Morel – derived from the Old French word “more” (brown), meaning “dark-skinned.”
Perrault – derived from the Old French word “peralt” (stone), meaning “one who works with stone.”
Ravel – derived from the Old French word “ravel” (to unravel), meaning “one who unravels or separates fibers.”

Rich French Last Names (Noble French Last Names)

Rich French Last Names (Noble French Last Names):

de Rothschild – a prominent French banking family who are known for their wealth and philanthropy.
de la Rochefoucauld – a noble French family who were involved in politics and military affairs.
de Bourbon – a royal family who ruled France from the 16th to the 18th century.
de Medici – a powerful Italian banking family who had significant influence in French politics and culture.
de Beauharnais – a noble French family who were involved in politics and military affairs.
de La Fayette – a noble French family who were involved in politics and military affairs, including the Marquis de Lafayette who supported the American Revolution.
de Montmorency – a noble French family who were involved in politics and military affairs.
de Toulouse-Lautrec – a noble French family who were known for their patronage of the arts.
de Villiers – a noble French family who were involved in politics and military affairs.
de Choiseul – a noble French family who were involved in politics and military affairs.
de Polignac – a noble French family who were involved in politics and culture.
de Rohan – a noble French family who were involved in politics and military affairs.
de Noailles – a noble French family who were involved in politics and military affairs.
de Laval – a noble French family who were involved in politics and military affairs.
de Gontaut-Biron – a noble French family who were involved in politics and military affairs.

Rare French Last Names

Rare French Last Names:

Auvray – derived from the Old French word “alverai,” meaning “one who makes rope.”
Baudin – derived from the Old Germanic name Baldwine, meaning “brave friend.”
Chauvet – derived from the Old French word “chauve” (bald), meaning “the bald one.”
Desjardins – derived from the French words “des” (of) and “jardin” (garden), meaning “of the garden.”
Foucher – derived from the Old French word “foc” (fire), meaning “one who works with fire.”
Gagnon – derived from the Old French word “gagner” (to win), meaning “one who wins.”
Hébert – derived from the Old French word “herbe” (grass), meaning “one who grows or sells herbs.”
Joubert – derived from the Old French word “jube” (yew tree), meaning “one who grows or sells yew trees.”
Labbé – derived from the Old French word “abbé” (abbot), meaning “one who works in a monastery or abbey.”
Lacombe – derived from the Old French words “la” (the) and “combe” (valley), meaning “the valley.”
Langlois – derived from the Old French word “lang” (long), meaning “the tall one” or “the long one.”
Proulx – derived from the Old French word “pro” (good), meaning “the good one.”
Rémillard – derived from the Old French word “meril” (blackbird), meaning “one who catches or sells blackbirds.”
Rouillard – derived from the Old French word “rouille” (rust), meaning “the rusty one.”
Trépanier – derived from the Old French word “trepan” (to bore), meaning “one who bores or drills.”

Famous French Last Names

Famous French Last Names:

Chanel – named after Coco Chanel, the famous French fashion designer.
Monet – named after Claude Monet, the famous French impressionist painter.
Voltaire – named after François-Marie Arouet, known by his pen name Voltaire, a French philosopher and writer.
Dior – named after Christian Dior, the famous French fashion designer.
Molière – named after Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, a French playwright and actor.
Renoir – named after Pierre-Auguste Renoir, the famous French impressionist painter.
Baudelaire – named after Charles Baudelaire, a French poet and essayist.
Balzac – named after Honoré de Balzac, a French novelist and playwright.
Camus – named after Albert Camus, a French philosopher and writer.
Debussy – named after Claude Debussy, a French composer.
Proust – named after Marcel Proust, a French novelist and essayist.
Gide – named after André Gide, a French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Sartre – named after Jean-Paul Sartre, a French philosopher and writer.
Hugo – named after Victor Hugo, a French poet, novelist, and playwright.
Colette – named after Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, a French author and actress.

Beautiful French Last Names

Beautiful French Last Names:

Dubois – means “of the woods”
Beauchamp – means “beautiful field”
Fontaine – means “fountain”
Blanc – means “white”
Chevalier – means “knight”
Gagné – means “winner”
Lefèvre – means “the blacksmith”
Moreau – means “dark-skinned”
Rousseau – means “red-haired”
Leroux – means “the red-haired one”
Dupont – means “of the bridge”
Delacroix – means “of the cross”
Bélanger – means “one who rings bells”
Cormier – means “the grower of cumin”
Leclerc – means “the clerk”

Good French Last Names

Good French Last Names:

Martin – derived from the Latin name Martinus, meaning “of Mars”
Durand – means “enduring”
Bernard – means “brave as a bear”
Girard – means “brave with a spear”
Mercier – means “merchant”
Reynaud – means “wise ruler”
Fabre – means “blacksmith”
Lambert – means “bright land”
Roussel – means “red-haired”
Simon – derived from the Hebrew name Shim’on, meaning “he has heard”
Caron – means “chariot driver”
Gauthier – means “ruler of the army”
Bonnet – means “hood”
Dubois – means “of the woods”
Rousseau – means “red-haired”

Long French Last Names

Long French Last Names:

Montchamp de Béthune – a noble surname with a long history
de la Croix-Valmer – means “of the cross by the sea”
de Montfort-Laval – a noble surname combining the names of two French towns
de la Roquefeuil-Blanquefort – means “of the white fort on the rock”
de La Vieuville-Carrouges – a noble surname with a long history
de La Grange-Trianon – means “of the barn near the palace of Versailles”
de La Chapelle-Monthodon – means “of the chapel of the month of Don”
de Laval-Montmorency – a noble surname combining the names of two French towns
de La Roche-Guyon – means “of the rock of Guyon”
de La Bouëxière-Rannée – a noble surname combining the names of two French towns
de La Mauvinière-Beaulieu – means “of the bad vineyard at beautiful place”
de La Ferté-Vidame – means “of the fortress of the viscount”
de La Bourdonnaye-Sainte-Suzanne – a noble surname combining the names of two French towns
de La Guiche-Palinges – means “of the sentinel at Palinges”
de La Roque-Baignard – means “of the rock near the river”

Short French Last Names

Short French Last Names:

Blanc – means “white”
Roy – means “king”
Petit – means “small”
Noir – means “black”
Leroux – means “the red-haired one”
Dubois – means “of the woods”
Martin – derived from the Latin name Martinus, meaning “of Mars”
Lefèvre – means “the blacksmith”
Simon – derived from the Hebrew name Shim’on, meaning “he has heard”
Faure – means “blacksmith”
Leclerc – means “the clerk”
Robin – derived from the Germanic name Hrodbehrt, meaning “bright fame”

Cute French Last Names

Cute French Last Names:

Beaulieu – means “beautiful place”
Boucher – means “butcher”
Bonnet – means “hood”
Chabot – a nickname for someone with a big nose
Charpentier – means “carpenter”
Chauvet – means “little bald one”
Clement – means “merciful”
Cousteau – means “coast dweller”
Dauphin – means “dolphin”
Dubois – means “of the woods”
Fournier – means “baker”
Gagné – means “winner”
Lacroix – means “of the cross”
Petit – means “small”
Provost – means “provost”

Elegant French Last Names

Elegant French Last Names:

Chateaubriand – means “castle roast beef”
Courvoisier – means “courteous”
Devereux – means “from Evreux”
Esposito – means “exposed” or “out in the open”
Fournier – means “baker”
Gallois – means “Welshman”
Grimaldi – means “greyish one”
LaFontaine – means “the fountain”
Laurent – derived from the Roman cognomen Laurentius, meaning “from Laurentum”
LeBlanc – means “the white one”
Leclair – means “the clear one”
Leroux – means “the red-haired one”
Marchand – means “merchant”
Montesquieu – means “mountain squirrel”
Rousseau – means “red-haired”

Best French Last Names

Best French Last Names:

Beauvais – means “beautiful sight”
Bouchard – means “forest bush”
Charbonneau – means “coal miner”
Devereux – means “from Evreux”
Dubois – means “of the woods”
Durand – means “enduring”
Fontaine – means “fountain”
Gautier – means “ruler of the army”
Lefebvre – means “the blacksmith”
Martin – derived from the Latin name Martinus, meaning “of Mars”
Moreau – means “dark-skinned”
Perrault – means “stone”
Renard – means “fox”
Robert – derived from the Germanic name Hrodbehrt, meaning “bright fame”
Simon – derived from the Hebrew name Shim’on, meaning “he has heard”

Typical French Last Names

Typical French Last Names:

Martin – derived from the Latin name “Martinus” meaning “of Mars”
Dupont – “of the bridge”
Rousseau – “red-haired”
Dubois – “of the wood”
Blanc – “white”
Bernard – “brave as a bear”
Durand – “enduring”
Simon – derived from the Hebrew name “Shimon” meaning “he has heard”
Moreau – “dark-skinned”
Girard – derived from the Germanic name “Gerhard” meaning “hard spear”
Lefevre – “smith”
Mercier – “merchant”
Fournier – “baker”
Garnier – “grain grower”
Fontaine – “fountain”

French Creole Last Names (Louisiana French Last Names)

French Creole Last Names (Louisiana French Last Names):

Broussard – “bushy or thick”
Thibodeaux – “bright place”
LeBlanc – “the white”
Boudreaux – “a person from Bordeaux”
Fontenot – “a fountain or stream”
Landry – “ruler”
Hebert – “bright army”
Arceneaux – “dweller near the Arques River”
Gaudet – “happy or joyous”
Pitre – “stone”
Trahan – “migratory bird”
Dugas – “a dike or embankment”
Guidry – “woodsman”
Savoie – “from Savoy”
Richard – “brave ruler”

Black French Last Names

Black French Last Names:

Antoine – “invaluable”
Baptiste – “baptizer”
Belle – “beauty”
Chauvin – “stubborn”
Clément – “merciful”
Dumas – “of the hills”
Étienne – “crown, garland”
Gagné – “gained, earned”
Gaspard – “treasurer”
Jolicoeur – “good-hearted”
LaSalle – “the room”
Louis – “famous warrior”
Noel – “Christmas”
Pierre – “rock”
Toussaint – “all saints”

Traditional French Last Names

Traditional French Last Names:

Chevalier – “knight”
Beaumont – “beautiful mountain”
Rochefort – “strong rock”
Tremblay – “quivering”
Montagne – “mountain”
Lambert – “bright land”
Lavoie – “the road”
Renard – “fox”
Caron – “chariot”
Leclerc – “clerk”
Boucher – “butcher”
Faure – “smelter”
Barreau – “bar”
Chretien – “Christian”
Beaulieu – “beautiful place”

French Last Names Starting with ‘Saint’

French Last Names Starting with ‘Saint’:

Sainte-Croix – “holy cross”
Saint-Jean – “Saint John”
Saint-Pierre – “Saint Peter”
Saint-Louis – “Saint Louis”
Saint-Cyr – “Saint Cyr”
Saint-Clair – “Saint Clair”
Saint-Germain – “Saint Germain”
Saint-Amand – “Saint Amand”
Sainte-Marie – “Saint Mary”
Saint-Hilaire – “Saint Hilary”
Saint-Denis – “Saint Denis”
Saint-André – “Saint Andrew”
Saint-Georges – “Saint George”
Saint-Étienne – “Saint Stephen”
Saint-Martin – “Saint Martin”

Funny French Last Names

Funny French Last Names:

De La Fraise – “of the strawberry”
Du Fromage
Le Boeuf – “the beef”
Du Pain – “of the bread”
De La Chance – “of the luck”
La Barbe – “the beard”
La Patate – “the potato”
Le Bras – “the arm”
La Poire – “the pear”
La Vache – “the cow”
Le Chat – “the cat”
Le Fou – “the crazy”
Le Sourd – “the deaf”
La Bouche – “the mouth”
La Fleur – “the flower”
Le Gros – “the big”

Swiss French Last Names

Swiss French Last Names:

Dubois – “of the wood”
Favre – “blacksmith”
Blanc – “white”
Morel – “dark-skinned”
Girard – derived from the Germanic name “Gerhard” meaning “hard spear”
Pernet – “little rock”
Jacquet – “supplanter”
Joly – “happy”
Chevalley – “valley of horses”
Rochat – “little rock”
Zimmermann – “carpenter”
Mermod – “famous merman”
Dufour – “of the oven”
Schaller – “a person who lived by a shelter or shed”
Baud – “bold, brave”

French Jewish Last Names

French Jewish Last Names:

Cohen – “priest”
Lévy – “joined”
Azoulay – “majestic”
Natan – “God has given”
Perez – “breach, gap”
Amar – “topographic name for someone who lived by a yew tree”
Hayoun – “carrier of the light”
Bensaïd – “son of Saïd”
Sandler – “shoemaker”
Amarante – “flower name, after the amaranth flower”
Halimi – “fragrant, sweet-smelling”
Bitton – “son of Bittan”
Benchimol – “son of Chimol”
Ohana – “family”
Touboul – “dove”

French Last Names, A-Z

Below we have French last names that start with each letter of the alphabet from A through Z:

Adam
Andre
Aubert
Alain
Armand
Arnaud
Aubry
Augustin
Autin
Auvray

Babineaux
Bachelet
Baillargeon
Barreau
Beaulieu
Beaumont
Bechard
Belanger
Bergeron
Bernard

Cadieux
Camus
Caron
Castonguay
Chabot
Chagnon
Champagne
Charbonneau
Chartier
Chauvin

Daigneault
Dallaire
D’Amico
D’Angelo
Daoust
D’Arcy
Daudelin
David
Davignon
DeBois

Elie
Emery
Escobar
Etienne
Evrard
Eymard
Eymet
Eymond
Eynard
Eymery

Fabre
Faure
Favier
Felix
Ferland
Ferreira
Fillion
Fontaine
Fortin
Fournier

Gagné
Gagnon
Galipeau
Garon
Gauthier
Gendron
Germain
Gervais
Girard
Gosselin

Hébert
Héroux
Hervé
Hilaire
Houle
Hubert
Huot
Huppé
Hurley
Huygens

Imbeault
Inglebert
Ingles
Isabelle
Issac
Ivers
Izzo
Iverson
Izquierdo
Ivanov

Jacques
Janson
Jardin
Jean
Jetté
Jolicoeur
Joncas
Joubert
Julien
Jutras

Karam
Kavanagh
Kelleher
Kelly
Kemp
Kendall
Kennedy
Keogh
Kerr
Kieffer

Labbé
Labonté
Lacasse
Lafond
Lajoie
Lambert
Lamontagne
Landry
Langlois
Lapointe

Martel
Martin
Masson
Matte
Maheu
Montagne
Moreau
Morin
Ménard
Mercier

Nadeau
Nault
Néron
Neville
Normandin
Normand
Noël
Nolet

O’Brien
O’Connor
Ouellet
Ouellette
Olivier
Odette
Onfroy
Orban
Orsini
Otero

Page
Paquette
Paradis
Parent
Peltier
Pelletier
Perras
Perrault
Perreault
Piché

Quenneville
Quimper
Quirion
Quirós
Quispe
Quinlan
Quinney
Quintero
Quirin
Quigley

Racine
Rainville
Rancourt
Ranger
Ratté
Raymond
Renaud
Renard
Richard
Robert

Samson
Sauvé
Savard
Séguin
Senécal
Simard
St-Pierre
St-Amour
St-Onge
St-Jacques

Tanguay
Thériault
Thibault
Thibodeau
Thibault
Théberge
Toussaint
Tardif
Tremblay
Trudel

Ulysse
Umbert
Urquhart
Urbain
Upton
Upshaw
Usher
Ullrich
Ulrich
Underwood

Vaillancourt
Valade
Vallée
Valois
Vachon
Vézina
Vidal
Vigeant
Villeneuve
Vincent

Walker
Walsh
Warner
Watson
Weber
West
White
Williams
Wilson
Wood

(Mostly Asian last names, give X last names are not common to native French nationals.)

Xavier
Xiong
Xu
Xie
Xia
Xiang
Xing
Xin
Ximénez
Xander

Yves
Yoder
Young
Yon
Yen
Yeo
Yeung
Yann
Yerby
Yenick

(Like X, mostly foreign names.)

Zahn
Zaleski
Zaldivar
Zander
Zaragoza
Zavala
Zayas
Zeller
Ziegler
Zimmerman

FAQs – French Last Names

What are the most common French last names?

The most common French last names include Martin, Bernard, Dubois, Thomas, Robert, Richard, Petit, Durand, Moreau, Girard, and Laurent.

These names are typically found throughout France and among French-speaking communities around the world.

What are some old-money French last names?

Old-money French last names are typically associated with wealthy, aristocratic families with a long history in France.

Some examples include:

Rothschild
de Rothschild
Du Pont
de la Rochefoucauld
de Castellane
de Beauvoir
de Gramont
de Polignac
de Noailles
de Talleyrand
de Saint-Exupéry
de Montmorency
de Clermont-Tonnerre

What are some Cajun French last names?

Cajun French last names are typically found in the southern region of Louisiana, where a large population of Cajuns, or descendants of French settlers, reside.