Save Type Surname (from given name & from nickname) Usage English, French Pronounced Pron. /ˈtæ.ˌlən/(English) /ta.lɔ̃/(French) [key·simplify] Meaning & History Derived from Old French talon "heel", denoting a person with a deformity or a swift person. It could also be a diminutive form of given names Talbot and Talleyrand.