Browse Surnames

This is a list of surnames in which the usage is English; and the origin is Old French.
usage
origin
Banner English
Occupational name for a flag carrier, derived from Old French baniere meaning "banner", ultimately of Germanic origin.
Barr English
Indicated a person who lived near a barrier, from Old French barre.
Beake English
Variant of Beck 3.
Beaumont French, English
From French place names derived from beau "beautiful" and mont "mountain".
Beck 3 English
From a nickname for a person with a big nose, from Middle English bec meaning "beak".
Beckett English
Originally a diminutive of Beck 1 or Beck 3.
Belcher English
From a Middle English version of Old French bel chiere meaning "beautiful face". It later came to refer to a person who had a cheerful and pleasant temperament.
Bellamy French, English
From Old French bel ami meaning "beautiful friend".
Belmont French, English
French and English form of Belmonte.
Bisset English
From Old French bis meaning "drab, dingy", a nickname for someone who looked drab.
Bone 1 English
Derived from Old French bon meaning "good".
Bonham English
English form of Bonhomme.
Bonner English
From Middle English boneire "kind, courteous", derived from Norman French bon aire "good bloodline".
Boon 1 English
Variant of Bone 1.
Boone English
Variant of Boon 1 or Boon 2.
Bunker English
Derived from Old French bon cuer meaning "good heart".
Burrell English
English form of Bureau.
Butcher English
Occupational name for a butcher, derived from Old French bouchier.
Butler English, Irish
Occupational name derived from Norman French butiller "wine steward", ultimately from Late Latin butticula "bottle". A famous bearer of this surname is the fictional character Rhett Butler, created by Margaret Mitchell for her novel Gone with the Wind (1936).
Fay 2 English
From a nickname for a person who was thought to have magical qualities, from Middle English faie meaning "magical, enchanted".
Forest English, French
Originally belonged to a person who lived near or in a forest. It was probably originally derived, via Old French forest, from Latin forestam (silva) meaning "outer (wood)".
Forester English
Denoted a keeper or one in charge of a forest, or one who has charge of growing timber in a forest (see Forest).
Frank 1 English
Derived from the given name Frank.
Frank 2 English
From Old English franc meaning "free".
Franklin English
Derived from Middle English frankelin meaning "freeman". It denoted a landowner of free but not noble birth, from Old French franc meaning "free". Famous bearers include American statesman Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) and American singer Aretha Franklin (1942-2018).
Gardener English
Occupational surname for one who was a gardener, from Old French jardin meaning "garden" (of Frankish origin).
Garnett 1 English
Occupational name referring to a person who made hinges, from Old French carne "hinge".
Giffard French, English
Possibly from Old French gifart meaning "chubby" or possibly from the Germanic name Gebhard. Walter Giffard was one of the Norman companions of William the Conqueror.
Grant English, Scottish
Derived from Norman French meaning "grand, tall, large, great". A famous bearer was the American general and president Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885).
Granville English
Derived from a Norman place name Grainville.
Jardine English, Scottish
Means "garden", denoting someone who worked as a gardener.
Kay 2 English
Derived from Old French kay meaning "wharf, quay", indicating one who lived near or worked on a wharf.
Key 1 English
Variant of Kay 1 or Kay 2.
Keyes 1 English
Variant of Kay 1 or Kay 2.
Keys 1 English
Variant of Kay 1 or Kay 2.
Lamar French, English
Originally from a place name in Normandy, derived from Old French la mare meaning "the pool".
Mullins 1 English
Derived from Norman French molin "mill".
Neville English, Irish
From the names of towns in Normandy, variously Neuville or Néville, meaning "new town" in French.
Norman English
Referred to a person who was originally from Scandinavia or Normandy. Even before the Norman Conquest, Scandinavians were settling the north and east of England. The Normans who participated in the Conquest were originally from Scandinavia, but had been living in Normandy, France for over a century and spoke French.
Norris 1 English, Scottish
Means "from the north" from Old French norreis. It either denoted someone who originated in the north or someone who lived in the northern part of a settlement.
Oliver English, Catalan, German, French
Derived from the given name Oliver.
Oliverson English
Means "son of Oliver".
Page English, French
Occupational name meaning "servant, page". It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Italian) from Greek παιδίον (paidion) meaning "little boy".
Paget English, French
Diminutive of Page.
Paige English
Variant of Page.
Tailor English
Variant of Taylor.
Taylor English
Derived from Old French tailleur meaning "tailor", ultimately from Latin taliare "to cut".
Wallace Scottish, English, Irish
Means "foreigner, stranger, Celt" from Norman French waleis (of Germanic origin). It was often used to denote native Welsh and Bretons. A famous bearer was the 13th-century Scottish hero William Wallace.
Wardrobe English
From Old French warder "to guard" and robe "garment", an occupational name for a servant responsible for the clothing in a household.