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.
Bey French, German, Frisian
North German and Frisian: from the Old Frisian personal name Beyo or Boy/Boye (see Boye).... [more]
Beyincé French, Louisiana Creole
Louisiana Creole form of Boyancé.... [more]
Bigot French
Either from Old French bigot possibly meaning "beggar" or from the Norman interjection bî got ("by God"), used as a pejorative nickname for the Normans... [more]
Billard English, German, French
From a short form of the personal name Robillard, a derivative of Robert.... [more]
Billeaud French
From a personal name composed of the Germanic elements bil "sword" (or possibly bili "gentle") + wald "ruler".
Binette French (Quebec)
Altered spelling of French Binet, a short form of Robinet, a pet form of Robert... [more]
Bissonnette French (Quebec)
North American spelling of French Bissonet, a topographic name from a diminutive of Old French buisson meaning "bush, scrub".
Bitencourt Brazilian, Portuguese (Brazilian), French (Rare), English
BITENCOURT, derives from Bittencourt, Bettencourt and Bethencourt; They are originally place-names in Northern France. The place-name element -court (courtyard, courtyard of a farm, farm) is typical of the French provinces, where the Frankish settlements formed an important part of the local population... [more]
Bizet French
Derived from the name “Byset or Bisset”
Blacher French
Mainly used in Southern France. Topographic name for someone who lived by an oak grove, originating in the southeastern French dialect word blache ‘oak plantation’ (said to be of Gaulish origin), originally a plantation of young trees of any kind.
Blasey French
The name may have been associated with a 4th century (316) French saint Blasius of Armenie (Armienes,) and later introduced into and adopted by Yorkshire people as their saint of wool-combers from a Norman noble.
Blasius German, French
From the Latin personal name Blasius. This was a Roman family name, originating as a byname for someone with some defect, either of speech or gait, from Latin blaesus "stammering, lisping", itself from Ancient Greek βλαισός (blaisos) "bent, crooked; bow-legged".
Blay French
From Old French bloi 'blond', or a habitational name from a placename, perhaps by metanalysis from Blois in Loir-et-Cher, France. Usually someone with the lastname 'Blay' is a gentle or merry person.
Bleau French
Roughly translated into " blue water".
Blesse English (British), Filipino, Indian, French
The last name Blesse was first discovered in Oxfordshire and held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. In the Philippines, Blesse means "a blessing in the family." In India, Blesse means "bless you."
Bleu French
"Blue."
Bloch Jewish, German, French
Regional name for someone in Central Europe originating from Italy or France, from Polish "Włoch" meaning "Italian" (originally "stranger / of foreign stock"), ultimately derived – like many names and words in various European languages – from the Germanic Walhaz.
Blond French
Nickname from Old French blund, blond meaning "blond, fair-haired", a word of ancient Germanic origin.
Blondeau French
Diminutive of Blond.
Blondel French
From old French blondel a diminutive of blond "blond, fair" variant of Blond.
Blondin French
Diminutive of Blond, nickname for someone with fair hair.
Bob French
From the given name Bob.
Bodi French
The United State Version of Bodi is an alteration of the French name Baudin. The name also has roots from Hungary.
Bodin French, English
Derived from Old French personal name Bodin or a variant spelling of Baudouin.
Bodine French
Possibly derived from the Germanic root bald meaning "bold".
Bois French, French (Quebec)
Derived from French bois "wood, forest", this name used to denote someone who lived near a forest.
Boise French
Variant of Bois.
Boisvert French
Means "green wood" in French, from bois "wood" and vert "green".
Boiteux French, Breton
From a Breton nickname meaning "lame".
Bolduc French (Quebec)
Probably from an old Germanic name with the roots baldi and dux, the Italian Balducci has the same etymology
Bolland French, German, English
From the Ancient Germanic name Bolland. Alternatively it derive from the place name Bowland from the Old English boga meaning "bow" and land meaning "land".
Bollard French
From a personal name composed of the Germanic elements boll "friend", "brother" + hard "hardy", "strong".
Bon French, Hungarian
As a French surname, it is derived from Old French bon meaning "good", or occasionally from the Latin given name Bonus (borne by a minor 3rd-century Christian saint martyred at Rome with eleven companions under the Emperor Vespasian... [more]
Bonal French
This is a surname formed from the Latin root "bonus" (= good) and the Germanic "wald" (waldan = govern). Bonwald meaning good governor.
Bonamy French
Meaning "good friend".
Bonaparte Italian (Rare), French (Rare), Judeo-Italian (Rare), American (Rare), Caribbean (Rare)
Variant and French form of Buonaparte. This is also a Jewish surname. A notable bearer was Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1820), who ruled as Emperor of France from 1804 through 1814 and again briefly in 1815, who was of Italian (Tuscan) ancestry... [more]
Bonaventure French
French cognate of Bonaventura
Bongard German, French
In german a rhenish place name "Obstgarten" (orchard).... [more]
Bonin French
Variant spelling of Bonnin.
Bonnefoy French
The name is derived from the French words bonne, meaning good, and foi meaning faith.
Bonnemaison French
Literally means "good house", derived from French bonne "good" and French maison "house". As such, this surname is most likely a locational surname, in that it originally either referred to someone who lived in a good house (probably more like a mansion) or to someone who was born in (or lived in) the place Bonnemaison, which is nowadays located in the Calvados department of France... [more]
Bonnin French
Derived from a diminutive of Bon, it is also found in the island of Mallorca and Turin, Italy.
Bonsor French
Bonsor is from French origin mean good day Bon soir
Bontemps French
Derived from Old French bon temps meaning "good time". One popular bearer of the name is the American poet and novelist Arna Wendell Bontemps (1902-1973).
Bonus French, German, Dutch
Latinization of vernacular names meaning "good", for example French Lebon or Dutch De Goede.
Bonville French
Variant of Bonneville
Bordaberry French, Spanish (Latin American), Basque
From Basque Bordaberri or Bordaberria, both widespread place names meaning "new hut/sheepfold/farm".
Bordeaux French
City in France.
Borne French
From Old French borgne "one-eyed, blind", a nickname for someone with only one eye, or who had other problems with their vision, such as a squint or cross-eyes.
Bossier French
Occupational name for a cooper, from an agent derivative of Old French bosse 'barrel'.
Boswell French (Anglicized)
The name Boswell is an Anglicization of the name of a French village: Boseville (Beuzeville). This was a village of 1400 inhabitants near Yvetot, in Normandy. (from 'A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames', by Charles W. Bardsley, New York, 1901)... [more]
Boudreaux French
Variant of Beaudreau. Originated in ancient area known as Languedoc, where the family was established. Comes from having lived in Languedoc, where the name was found since the early Middle Ages.
Boulanger French
Means "baker" in French.
Boulier French
Occupational name for a maker of balls or the organizer of a game of boules, from French boule meaning "ball".
Bourbon French
The Bourbons were one of the most important ruling houses of Europe . Its members were descended from Louis I, duc de Bourbon from 1327 to 1342, the grandson of the French king Louis IX (ruled 1226-70)... [more]
Bourbon French
habitational name from a village in Allier the site of the (now ruined) castle of Bourbon or from another place called (Le) Bourbon mainly in the southern part of France. The placename is derived from a Celtic and pre-Celtic element borb- denoting a hot spring.
Bourcard French, German (Gallicized)
From the given name Bourcard, variant of Bouchard, and frenchified form of Burckhardt.
Bourgeois French
from bourgeois "burgher" (from Old French burgeis from burc "fortified town") a status name for an inhabitant and (usually) freeman of a fortified town (see Bourg)... [more]
Bourget French
Possibly meaning "from the city, town" or given to wealthy families, (from bourgeois)
Bourguignon French
Originally denoted a person from Burgundy (called Bourgogne in French), a historical region of east-central France.
Bourguin French
From the medieval name Bourguin the French form of Burgwin.
Bourque French (Quebec)
Unknown history. A famous bearer is Raymond Bourque (B.-1960), a Quebec born professional ice hockey player from 1979-2001.
Boutet French
from a pet form of the ancient Germanic personal name Boto a short form of any of various names composed with the element bod "messenger"... [more]
Bouthillette French
Diminutive form of Boutilier.
Boutilier French
Name for a butler or sommelier of a medieval household.
Boutin French
Diminutive from the Germnic given name Bodo.
Bovary French
It is the surname of the famous fictional character Emma Bovary protagonist of Gustave Flaubert's novel.
Bowdoin French (Huguenot)
Americanized form of French Baudouin or Baudoin. Both the French form of Baldwin. A famous bearer of this surname was James Bowdoin II (1726-1790) Who was the second governor of Massachusetts and political rival of John Hancock.
Braille French
Braille is a writing system used by people with vision impairment. It was named after its inventor Louis Braille (1809-1852).
Branche French
From Old French branche meaning ‘branch’ (which is from Late Latin branca meaning ‘foot’, ‘paw’), the application of which as a surname is not clear. Compare Branch.
Braque French
Surname of cubist artist Georges Braque.
Bras French, Dutch
From Old French and Middle Dutch bras "arm". This was probably a descriptive nickname for someone with some peculiarity of the arm, but the word was also used as a measure of length, and may also have denoted a surveyor.
Brashear French (Anglicized)
Americanized spelling of French Brasseur or Brassier "brewer."
Brassard French
Derivative of bras "arm" most likely applied as a nickname denoting a person with strong arms or perhaps a pugilist.
Brasseur French
French and English (of both Norman and Huguenot origin): occupational name for a brewer, from Old French brasser ‘to brew’. See also Brasher.
Brault French
Variant of Béraud.
Bréant French
Likely a variant of Bréhant.
Breaux French (Cajun)
Originally from the region of Poitou.
Bremont French
A variant of Bremond.
Breon French
Variant of Bréant.
Bresson French
From a pet form of the personal name Brès (see Brice).
Breton French, English
French and English: ethnic name for a Breton, from Old French bret (oblique case breton) (see Brett).
Brevard French
French: nickname from Old French bref ‘small’ + the derogatory suffix -ard.... [more]
Brian Irish, English, French
1) Variant spelling of Bryan. ... [more]
Briand French
Variant of Brian.
Bridon French (Rare)
Patronymic surname derived from French bride "bridle, harness", this name used to denote a maker or merchant of bridle, harness or horse-gear and more generally a saddler.
Brie French
Variant of Labrie.
Briet French, Picard
Of uncertain origin and meaning.
Briette French
Variant of Briet.
Brion French
Refers to any of several places of the same name. Derived from Gaulish briga "height, hill" and the suffix -one.
Brion French
Short form of the given name Abrion, a pet form of Aubrey.... [more]
Brion French
Variant of Breon.
Brisse French
Derived from the given name Brictius.
Brisset French
Variant of Brisse by way of adding the diminutive suffix -et.
Brizendine French, English, Jewish
Derived from a personal name, probably of Celtic origin (Latinized as Britus), which was borne by a 5th century saint, who succeeded St. Martin as bishop of Tours.
Brosseau French
Derived from a diminutive of Brusse.
Brousseau French
Southern French variant of Brosseau.
Bruneau French
Derived from a diminutive form of French brun "brown", a nickname for a person with brown hair or skin.
Brunel French
Diminutive of Brun meaning "brown". Variant of Lebrun and Brunet.
Brunette French (Quebec)
Variant of Brunet, reflecting the French Canadian pattern of pronouncing the final -t, which is not pronounced in metropolitan French.
Bruns French
Bruns was first found in Poitou where this noble family held a family seat since ancient times. The Bruns surname derives from the French word "brun," meaning "brown"; possibly a nickname for someone who habitually dressed in the color brown.
Brusse French
Topographic name for someone living in a scrubby area of country, from Old French broce meaning "brushwood, scrub". It is also occupational name for a brush maker, from Old French brusse meaning "brush".
Brusseau French (Anglicized)
Probably an Americanized spelling of Brousseau.
Buffet French
Occupational name for a maker of furniture, derived from Old French buffet meaning "table, cupboard". It could also be a nickname for an angry and violent man, from Old French buffet meaning "slap in the face"... [more]
Buffett French (Anglicized), English
Americanised form or a variant of French Buffet, or probably an English variant of Bufford. Famous bearers of this name include the Americans Warren Buffett (1930-), a businessman, investor and philanthropist, and Jimmy Buffett (1946-), a musician.
Buford English, French (Anglicized)
English: most probably a variant of Beaufort.... [more]
Buisson French, Haitian Creole (Rare)
Topographic name for someone who lived in an area of scrub land or by a prominent clump of bushes from (Old) French buisson "bush scrub" (a diminutive of bois "wood"); or a habitational name from (Le) Buisson the name of several places in various parts of France named with this word.
Bunce Norman
Meaning "good" person in old french. Also means "bain"(exeptionaly tall) in old english
Bur Swiss, Low German, Czech, French
Swiss and North German variant of Bauer. ... [more]
Burcy French
Denoting someone from the town of Burcy.
Burel French
metonymic occupational name for a worker in the wool trade or perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually dressed in brown from Old French burel borel a diminutive of boure "frieze" a type of coarse reddish brown woolen cloth with long hairs (from Late Latin burra "coarse untreated wool").
Burnette French
Descriptive nickname from Old French burnete ‘brown’ (see Burnett). Possibly also a reduced form of Buronet, from a diminutive of Old French buron ‘hut’, ‘shack’.
Bursey French
Variant of Burcy.
Busque French (Quebec)
Québécois variant of Busquet.
Cabaniss French
Variant spelling of Cabanis, a habitational name from any of various places in Gard named Cabanis, from Late Latin capannis ‘at the huts’, ablative plural of capanna 'hut'... [more]
Cabrel Occitan, Friulian, French, Venetian
From the Latin Capralis, meaning ‘a place full of goats’.
Caderousse French, Literature
A character in the classic novel The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. In the novel, Caderousse is a tailor and inkeeper who aids in the arrest of Dantès.
Cadillac French
From the name of a city in France, of origin I am not sure of (anyone who knows the name's etymology edit this). This is most notably the name of the car company of the same name, named after Detroit, Michigan founder Antoine de la Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac.
Cadoret French, Breton
From an old Breton given name Catuuoret meaning "protector in combat".
Cahuet Picard
Nickname from Picard caüe "tawny owl".
Caillou French
Means "pebble" in French. Perhaps a nickname for a bald person.
Cain French
From the biblical name Cain, probably a nickname for someone considered to be treacherous.
Caine French, English
Originally from a French derogatory nickname for someone with a bad temper.
Calixte French
From the given name Calixte
Camembert French
Named after the village of Camembert in Normandy, France
Campion Norman, French
English (of Norman origin) and French: status name for a professional champion (see Champion, Kemp), from the Norman French form campion.
Canada French, English
It derives from the Middle English "cane", a development of the Old French "cane", meaning cane, reed.
Canteloup French
Name of several places in France. The surname means "Song of the Wolf" from canta and loup as in "place where the wolves howl".
Cantin French
A territorial division or district.
Caouette French (Quebec)
Altered form of French Cahouet, itself a regional form of chat-huant meaning "screech owl", hence a nickname referring to the bird.
Cape French, English (British)
French and English: metonymic occupational name for a maker of capes and cloaks, or perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually wore a cloak or cape, from Middle English and Old Norman French cape ‘cape’, ‘cloak’, ‘hooded cloak’ (in French also ‘hood’ or ‘hat’), from Late Latin cappa, capa, probably a derivative of caput ‘head’ (see Capp)... [more]
Capelle French, English, Dutch, Flemish
French topographic name for someone living by a chapel, from a regional variant of chapelle "chapel" (compare Chapell 2), or a habitational name from any of several places named La Capelle... [more]
Capricorne French
Derived from the Latin word (Capricornus) meaning "horned like a goat". Probably a nickname for an ambitious person.
Caramelle French
Name given to a chalumeau player, derived from the old French chalemel, calamel or chalemie, which in turn were derived from the Latin word calamus meaning "reed". Italian variations of the surname are: Caramella, Caramelli, Caramello (diminutive: Caramellino) and Caramelo.
Cardinal English, French
from Middle English, Old French cardinal "cardinal", a church dignitary (Latin cardinalis, originally an adjective meaning "crucial")... [more]
Cardinale Italian, Italian (Tuscan), French, English
Italian cognate of Cardinal, as well as an English and French variant. A known bearer is the Italian actress Claudia Cardinale (1938-).
Cardon French
from the name of several places in southern France called (Le) Cardon. Or from Old Norman French cardon "thistle" (a diminutive of carde from Latin carduus) hence a topographic name for someone who lived on land overgrown with thistles an occupational name for someone who carded wool (originally a process carried out with thistles and teasels) or perhaps a nickname for a prickly and unapproachable person... [more]
Carême French
Means "lent" in French.
Carlin French
From a pet form of Charles.
Carreau French
Variant of Carrel. It could also be a habitational name from several places named Carreau in France.
Carrel French
French: from Old French quar(r)el ‘bolt (for a crossbow)’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of crossbow bolts or a nickname for a short, stout man. The word also meant ‘paving slab’, and so it could also have been a metonymic occupational name for a street layer... [more]
Carrier French
From carrier, "quarrier, someone who works in a quarry". cf Carrara.
Carsin French
Of debated origin and meaning; theories include a contracted form of Caorsin.
Cartier French, Norman
Original Norman French form of Carter. A notable bearer was Breton-French explorer Jacques Cartier (1491-1557), who is known for discovering the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Carville French, Irish
As a French location name it comes from a settlement in Normandy. As an Irish name it derives from a word for "warrior".
Casals Catalan, French
Plural form of Casal.
Casanabe French
CASANABE is a French name meaning New house.
Casavantes French, Spanish, Basque
Topographic name composed of casa "house" + avant "ahead of forward" + the suffix -es, denoting one who lived in the house located at the beginning of a village. This surname has died out in France.
Case French
Case. A hut, a hovel.
Casimir French
From the given name Casimir.
Cassatt French
Origin uncertain. This is not known as a surname in Britain. It may be an Americanized form of a French name such as Casault.
Casse French
Means "oak" in Gallo-Roman
Cassel English, French, German
A surname derived from the Latin military term castellum "watchtower, fort". A variant spelling of the word castle. Denoted someone hailing from the commune of Cassel in the Nord départment in northern France or the city of Kassel (spelled Cassel until 1928) in Germany... [more]
Castaignède French
Stéphane Castaignède is a French rugby player and coach.... [more]
Castel French, English
Topographic name from a derivative of Late Latin castellum "castle" (a diminutive of Latin castrum "fort Roman walled city") or a habitational name from any of several places called Le Castel... [more]
Castille French
Regional name for someone from Castile in central Spain (see Castilla).
Castillon French
means "castle"
Castonguay French (Quebec)
From a combination of Gaston and Guay, the name of a 17th-century French immigrant to Quebec, Canada.
Cattell English, French, Irish (Anglicized)
Possibly derived from a given name containing the element ketill "kettle, cauldron; helmet", or a diminutive form of Cat or Cate... [more]
Cauchon French, Norman, Picard
Metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of slippers, derived from French chausson literally meaning "slipper".
Cave Norman, French, English
A name of various possible origins. As a Norman French name Cave can mean "bald" from cauf or it can mean "worker in a wine cellar" or "one who dwelt in or near a cave". As an English name Cave refers to a Yorkshire river whose fast current inspired the name meaning "swift".
Caylus French
Of debated origin and meaning; theories include a Southern French corruption of Latin castellum "castle, fort, citadel, fortress, stronghold".
Cécire Norman
Derived from the feminine name Cécile.
Célestin French
From the given name Célestin.
Cerfbeer French, Jewish
Combination of the Medieval French and Jewish given names Cerf and Beer.
Cerise French, Italian
Italian habitational name from La Cerise or Torrent-La Cerise placenames in Valle d'Aosta from French cerise "cherry"; and French occupational name from cerise "cherry" (from Latin cerasus) applied as a metonymic occupational name for someone who grew or sold cherries.
Césaire French (Caribbean), Haitian Creole
From the given name Césaire. A notable bearer was Aimé Césaire (1913-2008), a Martiniquais politician and writer.
Chabert French
From Charbert, an old baptism name of Germanic origin formed from two words that mean: concern and famous.
Chabot French
From chabot ‘bull-head’, a species of fish with a large head, hence a nickname for someone with a big head and a small body.
Chaisson French, English
Variant of the French surname Chiasson originally denoting someone from the the municipality of Chiasso in Ticino, Switzerland, located along the Swiss/Italian border.... [more]
Chalamet French
Nickname for someone who played the reed or an occupational name for seller of torches, from a regional form of Old French chalemel meaning "reed" or "blowtorch". A notable bearer is American actor Timothée Chalamet (1995-).