French Submitted Surnames

French names are used in France and other French-speaking regions. See also about French names.
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Sand French
Derived from the given name Sando.
Santamaria Italian, French, Spanish
Italian and French cognate of Santamaría as well as a Spanish variant.
Santerre French
Habitational name from a place to the southeast of the Somme river, named with Latin sana terra "healthy, wholesome land".
Sarazen French
From a medieval French nickname for a swarthy person, or for someone who had gone on a Crusade (from Old French sarrazin "Saracen"). It was borne by American golfer Gene Sarazen (1902-99), original name Eugene Saraceni.
Sard English, French, Spanish, Italian
In the book surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary by Henry Harrison and Gyda (Pulling) Harrison 1912 - Reprinted 1996. The Sard surname (which has been in England, Italy and Europe for a long time) is defined thus on page 136.... [more]
Sarradet French (Cajun)
Used commonly by people native to Louisiana, United States, is also a variant of Sarrade.
Sarrazin French
Means "Saracen" in Old French, a name used to refer to Arab Muslims in the Middle Ages. It was probably used as a nickname for an unruly person, a person with a dark complexion, or for someone who had taken part in a Crusade.
Sartain French
Means, "Tailor".
Saulnier French
In Middle French (the form of French spoken from 1340 to 1610), it literally means "salt merchant".
Sauve' French
Sauve' from France to Canada. Changed probably due to an "a" and an "o" confusion in cursive. My granfather's was typo-ed on WW II old men's sign up in MA. or RI, USA.
Savant French
Nickname from savant ‘learned’, a nickname for a university graduate or a particularly knowledgeable person.
Savard French
Either from Old French savart meaning "wasteland" or the Germanic elements sab of uncertain meaning and hard meaning "brave, hardy".
Savignac French
Habitational name for someone from various communes by this name in France.
Schaal German, Dutch, French, Jewish
Either a nickname for a braggart or a market crier, (derived from Middle High German schal meaning "noise, bragging"), an occupational name for someone who made dishes for scales and vessels for drinking, (from Middle Low German and Dutch schale "dish"), a habitational name from Schaala in Thuringia or the Schaalsee lake near Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, or a topographic name for someone living on marshy land, (from Dutch schald "shallow")... [more]
Sebas French
From the given name Sébastien.
Sébastien French
From the given name Sébastien.
Sebert German, French
From a German personal name composed of the elements sigi meaning "victory" + berht meaning "bright", "famous".
Second French
From the given name Second.
Sedaine French
Derived from the given name Sidoine.
Séguin French
From the given name Séguin the French form of Sigwin.
Sénécal French
status name for a seneschal an official in a large household who was responsible for overseeing day-to-day domestic arrangements from Old French seneschal (of ancient Germanic origin composed of the elements sini "old" and scalc "servant")... [more]
Senjean French
Probably from St John (saint-jean) from Christianization of Basques and misspelled
Serre French
Means 'greenhouse' in French.
Serres French
Altered form of "Serre"
Servais French
From the given name Servais.
Seul French
From Fr. "only, alone"
Sevestre French
A French surname of unknown etymology.
Sévigny French
A kind of bush.
Seydoux French, French (Swiss), Occitan
Derived from the Germanic names Sedulius, Sedulfus or Segedolfus. Another theory suggests Occitan roots; it might be an occupational name for someone who worked with silk, derived from Occitan sedós meaning "silky, soft"... [more]
Sicard French
From the given name Sigihard, derived from the elements sigu "victory" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy".
Silhouette French (Rare)
Famous bearers include Étienne de Silhouette (1709–67), French author and politician. He was a French Ancien Régime Controller-General of Finances under Louis XV.
Simard French (Quebec)
From the Germanic name Siegmar via the French form Simar.
Simonin French
From the given name Simon 1. Possibly brought by the Russian migrants who came to France.
Simonnet French
From the given name Simon 1.
Simplice French
From the given name Simplice
Sintas French
Found in the communes of Habas and Osages
Sivelle French
A rare surname.
Solaire French
Means "solar" in French
Soldat Russian, Ukrainian, French, German
Means "soldier" in various languages.
Solié French
Notable bearers include French cellist Jean-Pierre Solié, who was originally named Jean-Pierre Soulier, possibly making it a variant of Soulier.
Soule English, French, Medieval English
English: of uncertain origin; perhaps derived from the vocabulary word soul as a term of affection.... [more]
Soulier French
Metonymic occupational name for a shoemaker, from Old French soulier ‘shoe’, ‘sandal’.... [more]
Souris French
Means "mouse" in French.
Sovereign French
Translation of the French surname Souverain which is derived from Old French souverain meaning "high place".
Sovern English, French, German, Dutch
Sovern is a modified spelling of Sovereign meaning a ruler or monarch.
Sovine French (Americanized), French (Swiss, Americanized)
Americanized form of Sauvain or the later Sovain, the name of a commune in France.
Soyer French
French surname (Alexis Benoist Soyer is a famous bearer).
St Aubin French
Either a habitational name from any of several places in France called Saint-Aubin (from the dedication of their churches to Saint Albinus), or else a nickname with Saint as an (ironic) prefix to the personal name or surname Aubin.
St Clair French, English
From the place name St Clair
Stephan French, English
From the given name Stephan
St-gelais French (Quebec)
From the French place name Saint-Gelais which was allegedly named for a 5th-century bishop of Poitiers. The name Gelais is a variant of Gélase.
St Georges French
“Saint George.”
St Germain French, Haitian Creole
From a French place named for Saint Germanus.
St Louis French, English
In honor of Saint Louis.
Stlouis French
Habitational name from any of several places named with a religious dedication to a St. Louis.
St Mary English, French
This name is probably used in reference to Mary, Mother of Jesus or one of the many places called St Mary.
St-vil Haitian Creole, French (Caribbean), French
From the place named St Vil.
Subercaseaux French, Spanish (Latin American)
The Subercaseaux family is a Chilean family of French descent. They became well known during the 19th century due to their wealth amassed in Norte Chico. They have played a very significant role in Chilean mining, winemaking, politics and arts.
Sully French, Haitian Creole
from any of the various places called Sully for example in Calvados Loiret Saone-et-Loire and Oise. The first of these is recorded in 1180 as Silleium from the Gallo-Roman personal name Silius or Cilius and the Latin locative element acum... [more]
Sylvain French
From the given name Sylvain
Sylvestre French
From the given name Sylvestre.
Tailleur French
French for "tailor."
Talbert English, French
From a continental Germanic personal name composed of the elements tal "valley" and berth "bright".
Talcott English, Norman
Norman habitational name from Taillecourt in France.... [more]
Tallant English (British, ?), Norman, Irish
English (of Norman origin) occupational name for a tailor or nickname for a good swordsman, from taillant ‘cutting’, present participle of Old French tailler ‘to cut’ (Late Latin taliare, from talea ‘(plant) cutting’)... [more]
Tallon English, Irish, Norman, French
English and Irish (of Norman origin), and French from a Germanic personal name derived from tal ‘destroy’, either as a short form of a compound name with this first element (compare Talbot) or as an independent byname... [more]
Talon English, French
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.
Tanguay French, English
From a personal name, a contraction of Tanneguy, from Breton tan meaning 'fire', and ki meaning 'dog', which was the name of a 6-th century Christian saint associated with Paul Aurelian.
Tanqueray French
Derived from the given name Tancred.
Tapon French
From the old French word tapon, meaning "cork". Hence this surname was first given to corks makers.
Tardif French, French (Quebec)
From Latin tardivus, "slow". Given its unusually frequency as a family name and derivatives like Tardieu or Tardivel, it may have been a medieval given name.
Tati Popular Culture, French, Russian
A well known diminutive of both Tatiana and Tatischeff.
Tatischeff French, Russian, English
Best known as the actual full surname of Jacques Tati.
Tautou French, Occitan
Derived from French tatou meaning "armadillo". It may have originally been given to a person who resembled an armadillo in some way. A famous bearer is the French actress and model Audrey Tautou (1976-).
Tawney English, Norman
Habitational name from either of two places, Saint-Aubin-du-Thennay or Saint-Jean-du-Thennay, in Eure, Normandy, both so named from an uncertain first element (possibly a Gallo-Roman personal name or the Gaulish word tann ‘oak’, ‘holly’) + the locative suffix -acum.
Tebow French (Americanized)
Americanized form of French Thibault.
Temple English, French
Occupational name or habitational name for someone who was employed at or lived near one of the houses ("temples") maintained by the Knights Templar, a crusading order so named because they claimed to occupy in Jerusalem the site of the old temple (Middle English, Old French temple, Latin templum)... [more]
Templier French
French cognate and variant of Temple, given to someone who was a member of the Templar order.
Templin French
Possibly from a French diminutive of Temple.
Terrien French
Topographic name from an adjectival derivative of terre "land", denoting someone who lived and worked on the land, i.e. a peasant. It is Americanized frequently as Landers, and occasionally as Farmer.
Tessier French
Occupational Name For A Weaver, From Old French Tissier (From Late Latin Texarius, A Derivative Of Texere ‘To Weave’). It Is Also Found In England As A Surname Of Huguenot Origin. Compare Tacey.
Tetrault French
French, Franko-American
Tetreault French
Ultimately derived from French tistre "to weave".
Thébault French
From a variant of the given name Thibault. Variant of Thibault.
Théodore French
From the given name Théodore.
Theriault French (Rare)
Possibly from the Greek "therion" which means a beast of a nondescript nature.
Theroux French (Quebec)
Southern French (Théroux): of uncertain origin; perhaps a topographic name for someone living by "the wells", from a plural variant of Occitan théron "well".
Thibert French
From the given name Thibert, the French form of Theudebert.
Thomann German, French
Variant of Thoman. It was first discovered in Germany, where it surfaced in the medieval times.
Thomet French (Swiss), German (Swiss)
Derived from a diminutive form of the given name Thomas.
Timothée French
From the given name Timothée.
Tisserand French
French for "weaver."
Tisseur French
Occupational surname meaning "weaver".
Tonnelier French
French for "cooper."
Tonnoir French, French (Belgian)
Means "thunder". Originally, a nickname given to loud men. Very rare.
Toulouse French, French (African)
Derived from the name of the city of Toulouse.
Toupin French, Breton, Norman
nickname from Old French toupin "spinning-top". in rare instances in the south probably from Old Occitan toupin "small earthenware pot" used as a metonymic occupational name for a potter.
Tournier French
French form of Turner.
Tourville French
The name Tourville is a very old, and in one case, very famous name. One of the Marshall's of France was named Anne Hilarion de Cotentin de Tourville. This reads: Anne Hilarion of/from Cotentin, Comte (Count) of Tourville... [more]
Toussaint French
Derived from the given name Toussaint, which in turn is derived from Toussaint, the French name for the Christian feast day All Saints' Day (celebrated on November 1st every year)... [more]
Towers French
1. Variant of Tower, with later -s. ... [more]
Trahan French (Cajun), Welsh
From the Welsh name Trahern, derived from the Welsh family seat Trehaverne.
Transon French
Possibly from Old French tronçon "block of wood", perhaps an occupational name for a woodcutter.
Traylor French
Assumed to mean "by the trail". May have originally been "Trouillart". Variations may include: Trail Traill Treil Trelly Teign Pentrail
Trezeguet French
Meaning uncertain, possibly an occupational name derived from Old French treize, treze meaning "thirteen" and guet (itself from Old French gué) meaning "look-out, watch, vigil"... [more]
Triomphe French
From French meaning "triumph". A nickname for a person who's successful.
Trouillefou French, Literature
From a compound of colloquial French trouille "fear" and fou "mad, crazy". Clopin Trouillefou is a fictional character in the 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo, depicted as a Romani Frenchman who is the King of Truands (the criminals and outcasts of Paris) disguises himself as a beggar begging the audience for money, disrupting Pierre Gringoire's play.
Truax French (Americanized)
An Americanized spelling of the French surname Trieux.
Trudet French
Variant of Trudel.
Trumbo French, German
French (Alsatian) form of German Trumbauer.
Tuberville French
Tuberville May be related to the surname Turbeville which is a derivation of the original de’ Turberville which derives from old French Thouberville, ville meaning town, place or residence (from Latin villa).
Tuffèri French
Possibly a variant of Tuffère or maybe derived from an Italian surname.
Turcat French, French (Quebec)
Means "Turkman"
Turcotte French, Welsh
Means "tower" in French and Welsh.
Turney English, Norman
Habitational name from places in France called Tournai, Tournay, or Tourny. All named with the pre-Roman personal name Turnus and the locative suffix -acum.
Ulysse French
From the given name Ulysse.
Upamecano French (African), Manding (Gallicized)
A very rare French surname with African roots.
Urbain French, Walloon
From the given name Urbain.
Vachon French
French definition, cattle herder. Vashon English variant. Vaca Spanish.
Vadeboncœur French (Quebec)
From the French phrase va de bon cœur meaning "go with a good (merry) heart". This was a secondary surname, common among soldiers in colonial French Canada, which has been adopted as a principal surname.
Vaillancourt French (Quebec)
Possibly a variant of Valencourt. This is the surname of a noble family who probably lived near Willencourt.
Vaillant French
From a medieval nickname for a brave person (from Old French vaillant "brave, sturdy").
Val Spanish, French
It means valley. It comes from Britain and then moved to Aragón (Spain).
Valade French
Variant of Vallée.
Valère French
From the given name Valère.
Valette French
Topographic name for someone who lived in a small valley, from a diminutive of Old French valee meaning "valley".
Vallée French
topographic name for someone who lived in a valley from Old French valee "valley" (from Latin vallis) or a habitational name from (La) Vallée the name of several places in various parts of France... [more]
Vallera French
French: habitational name from Vallery in Yonne, once a Romano-Gallic estate, recorded in 1218 as Valerianus. The surname is also found in the British Isles and may be of Norman origin, from the same place.
Vallet French, English
French topographic name from a diminutive of Old French val "valley" (see Val ) or a habitational name from (Le) Vallet the name of several places mainly in the northern part of France and French and English occupational name for a manservant from Old French and Middle English vallet "manservant groom".
Valmont English, French
Means "Hill of the vale"
Valois French
topographic name for someone who lived in a valley, or a habitational name from any of the various places called Val(l)ois, or regional name from the district in northern France so called, which was once an independent duchy... [more]
Vangarde French
"(A soldier) in the leading edge of an army formation"
Vanier French
Variant of Vanier.
Vaniet French
Variant of Vannier.
Vaniez French
Variant of Vannier.
Vannier French
Means "winnower, basket-weaver".
Varon French
From the old high german name Waro short form of given names with the element war "aware,cautious".
Vassar French, English
Name indicating the status of "a vassal or serf" in feudal society.
Vasseur French
From Old French vavasour meaning "subvassal", a historical term used to refer to a tenant of a baron or lord who also had tenants under him.
Vassie French, English
Meaning "playful or merry" for a cheerful person.
Vauquelin French
From the given name Vauquelin variant of Voclain.
Vaux French
French, English, and Scottish habitational name from any of various places in northern France called Vaux, from the Old French plural of val ‘valley’.
Veilleux French
variant of veilleur, a night guard of nightwatch.
Verdé French
Possibly a Gallicized form of the Italian and Spanish surname Verde.
Verdier French, Norman, English
Occupational name for a forester. Derived from Old French verdier (from Late Latin viridarius, a derivative of viridis "green"). Also an occupational name for someone working in a garden or orchard, or a topographic name for someone living near one... [more]
Verdon French
Habitational name from a place so named, for example in Dordogne, Gironde, and Marne.
Verdun French, English (British, Rare), Spanish, Catalan
From the various locations in France called Verdun with the Gaulish elements ver vern "alder" and dun "hill fortress" and Verdú in Catalonia, English variant of Verdon
Vergan French (Huguenot)
Family history states that original name was "du Vergau" French Huguenot chased from France to Germany.
Verlaine French, French (Belgian)
Habitational name for someone from Verlaine in the province of Liège, Belgium. Paul Verlaine was a noted bearer.
Vermont French (Rare)
Derived from french, meaning "green mountain" (Vert, "green"; mont, "mountain").
Verne French, English
As a French surname refers to someone who lived where alder trees grew. While the English version can mean someone who lived where ferns grew, Verne can also mean a seller of ferns which in medieval times were used in bedding, as floor coverings and as animal feed.
Verney English, French
The surname Verney was first found in Buckinghamshire, England, when they arrived from Vernai, a parish in the arrondissement of Bayeux in Normandy.