250 Traditional And Classy French Last Names Or Surnames

France is a country of beautiful landmarks, world-class art and architecture, and splendid museums. Also, their language French is considered one of the most beautiful and romantic languages in the world, and the traditional French surnames are steeped in centuries of history and culture. The origins of surnames in the French language are in their occupations, patriarchal names, and locations, providing a fascinating glimpse into the rich tapestry of French cultural heritage. Read on as we put together a list of the most beautiful French last names in this post.

In This Article

250 French Surnames Or Last Names With Meanings

1. Abadie:

Abadie, Traditional French surname

Image: IStock

This French andEnglish surnamederives from the wordabadiawhich means both ‘abbey’ and ‘family chapel’.

2. About:

This is derived from the French wordaboutthat refers to ‘an extremity of a metallic or wooden element or piece’.

3. Abreo:

This is a variant of the wordAbreu, which means a ‘wise counselor’.

4. Alarie:

The meaning of this French surname is ‘all power’.

5. Allard:

Derived from old French, this surname means ‘noble’.

6. Anouilh:

Derived from Catalan (language is southern France) word anull, Anouilh means ‘slow worm’.

7. Archambeau:

This is derived from theLatin personal nameArcambaldus, which in turn derived from the German wordErcanmeaning ‘precious’ andbaldmeaning ‘bold and daring’.

8. Arsenault:

Derived from the French wordarsenal意思是“workshop’, Arsenault is also an occupational surname for a gunmaker, a seller of guns, or the keeper of an arsenal.

9. Aubert:

It is derived from the old German compoundAedelbeortmeaning ‘noble-bright’.

10. Auch:

Occupational surname for someone who minds cattle at night.

11. Auclair:

这个姓来源于the French wordclair, which means ‘clear’.

12. Auger:

This surname derived from the French personal nameAuger, which originated fromAdalgarius,whereinadalmeans ‘noble’ andgarmeans ‘spear’.

13. Auguste:

The surname derived from a personal nameAgostino,which is derived from the Latin word It means ‘favored with good omens’.

14. Aveline:

In modern French, Aveline means hazelnut. This is derived from the botanical name of the common hazel, Corylus avellana.

15. Badeaux:

This is a derivative of the word ‘badar’, which means ‘to be open-mouthed’, ‘to gape’.

16. Bain:

It is an occupational name for an attendant at a public bathhouse. Baine means ‘bath’ in old French.

17. Barbeau:

这个姓来源于the wordbarbel, a type of fish. Hence it is an occupational surname for a fisherman.

18. Barbet:

This is derived from the baptismal name meaning the ‘son of Barbara’.

19. Barbier:

This is derived from the baptismal or Christian name meaning the ‘son of Barbara’.

20. Bardin:

这个姓来源于old high German ‘barta’ which means ‘battle axe’.

21. Barreau:

This French surname is a derivative ofbarrer,意思是“to bar’, ‘to close or block off’. It could be a possible occupational name for a jailkeeper or doorkeeper.

22. Barrere:

This is an occupational name for a gatekeeper or someone who lived by a gate or barrier. It is derived from the old French wordbarre, which means ‘obstruction’.

23. Bassett:

In old French, this means ‘low’ or ‘short’. This name could refer to a short person or someone of humble origins.

24. Bastarache:

This is a topographic name for someone who lived in a house by a boundary. The word is derived frombasquebazterthat means ‘border’ andechethat means ‘house’.

25. Bastien:

This surname is a short form of the personal name Sabastian, which means ‘from Sebaste’ a town in Asia Minor.

26. Baudelaire:

Pronounced as Boh-deh-lair, this French surname means ‘small sword’, or ‘dagger’.

27. Bazin:

This French surname is derived fromBasil, which in turn, is derived from ancient Greek nameBasileiosthat means ‘royal’. In some parts, it is also considered an occupational surname derived from the wordbombasin,which is a kind of cotton cloth.

28. Beauchamp:

In old French,Beaumeans ‘beautiful’ andchampmeans ‘field’ or ‘plain’.

29. Beauchene:

This name is derived frombeaumeaning ‘beautiful’ andchenemeaning ‘oak’.

30. Beaufort:

Derived from old French in whichBeaumeans ‘beautiful’, andfortmeans ‘stronghold’.

31. Beaulieu:

A combination ofBeau,意思是“beautiful’ andlieu,意思是“place’ or ‘location’.

32. Beaumont:

The name meansa beautiful hill, whereinmontmeans a ‘hill’.

protip_icon Trivia
American actor Eugene Hugh Beaumont, English retired footballer Christopher Paul Beaumont, and English actress Susan are some popular bearers of this last name.

33. Beauregard:

This surname means ‘beautiful outlook’.

34. Beausoleil:

It means a ‘beautiful sun.’ It probably refers to a place exposed to the sun.

35. Bechard:

Derived from an old French wordbochier, which means ‘butcher’.

36. Bedeau:

It is derived from the French wordbedeau, meaning ‘beadle’, a sergeant of justice.

37. Bellamy:

这个姓来源于old French wordsbel amimeaning a ‘beautiful friend’.

38. Bellefeuille:

Derived from old French wordsbellemeaning ‘lovely’ andfeuillemeaning ‘leaf’. It could be an occupational nickname for a woodsman.

39. Bellegrade:

This French surname has the topographic meaning ‘beautiful watch-tower’ or ‘lookout’.

40. Belshaw:

It means cheerful or lovely face. The surname is derived from the French wordsbeumeaning ‘beautiful’ or ‘lovely’, andcheremeaning ‘face’.

41. Benoit:

This French surname is derived from the Latin word ‘benedictus’, which means ‘the one who says the good’.

42. Berengar:

The surname has Germanic roots and means ‘bear and spear’. It could refer to a person bearing a spear.

43. Berger:

This is an occupational name for shepherd derived from the old French wordbergier.

44. Bernard:

这个姓来源于German given name意思是“strong as a bear’.

45. Bernier:

It is derived from the French forename Bernier and from a Germanic personal name in which bern means ‘bear’ and nier means ‘hair or army’.

46. Bethune:

This French surname originated from the town Bethune in Pas-de-Calais, France.

47. Bibeau:

Also written as Bibaud and Bibaut, this French surname must be a derivative ofbibere,意思是“to drink’.

48. Bissonnette:

Bissonnette, Traditional French surname

Image: IStock

The topographic name of old Frenchbuisson意思是“布什或擦洗。

49. Blanc:

Also known as le Blanc, this French surname means ‘white’.

50. Blanchard:

It is derived from the old French wordblanchart, which means ‘whitish’ or ‘bordering upon white’.

51.睡衣:

This French surname is derived from the wordblanc. It was originally given to people who are blond or have a reputation of purity and piety.

52. Bloyer:

This could be an occupational surname given to someone who separated hemp or flax fiber

53. Boisseau:

It is anoccupational surnamefor corn merchant. Derived from old French namebushel,it means the ‘measure of grain’.

54. Boivin:

It is derived from old French wordsboimeaning ‘to drink’ andvinmeaning ‘wine’.

55. Bonfils:

The old French wordsbon fillsmeans ‘good son’.

56. Bonheur:

这个姓来源于old French wordsbonne heure, which mean ‘good time’ or ‘lucky’.

57. Bonhomme:

This surname means a ‘good man’, where homme means a ‘man’.

58. Bonnet:

This is a diminutive of the French wordbonmeaning ‘good’ or ‘attractive’.

59. Borde:

This word means ‘board’ or ‘plank’. And could be a habitational name for someone who lived in a house of planks.

60. Boucher:

Evolved from the French region of Champagne, Boucher is an occupational name for a butcher.

61. Boulanger:

This is an occupational name for a baker, as the name means a ‘man who divides the dough into balls’.

62. Bourguignon:

This local surname was held by people born in the beautiful region of Bourgogne.

63. Breguet:

The surname originated from a region in ancient France.

protip_icon Did you know?
The surname Breguet was originally found in Normandy. In France, the Breguet family included renowned watchmakers, businessmen, and innovators.

64. Bruneau:

The surname means the ‘brown or dark skinned one’. Some variations are Brunel and Busnel.

65. Bullion:

This means a ‘round spring’ or a ‘hollow in a rock containing rainwater’.

66. Cadieux:

This is one of the ancient French surnames derived from the word ‘cad’ which means a ‘little fighter’.

67. Camus:

This name is of Norman French origin and means the ‘snub-nosed one’. It is also considered a metonymic occupational surname for a shirtmaker, derived from the wordchemise意思是“shirt’.

68. Carbonneau:

这个姓来源于the Latin wordCarbo意思是“carbon’ or ‘charcoal’.

69. Carpentier:

This surname is of Norman-Picard origin and is a variation of French Charpentier, which means a ‘carpenter’.

70. Carre:

This French surname is derived from the old French wordcarre,意思是“square’.

71. Carrel:

Derived from the old French wordquarrel意思是“bolt for crossbow’, Carrel could be an occupational name for a maker of crossbow bolts. This word also means ‘paving slab’ and could have been an occupational name for a street layer.

72. Cartier:

This is derived from theAnglo-NormanFrench wordcaretierand is an occupational name for someone who worked as a transporter of goods.

73. Cellier:

This French surname means a ‘storeroom’.

74. Cerf:

Also known as Le Cerf, this French surname means ‘hart’ or ‘deer’.

75. Chapelle:

This surname is a topographic name for someone ‘who lives by a shrine’. In old French, the wordchapellemeans ‘chapel’.

76. Chappuis:

This French surname is derived from the old French wordchaput, which refers to a chopping block that was used to create different shapes.

77. Charbonnier:

It refers to someone ‘who sells or makes charcoal’.

78. Chastain:

This name originated from the old French wordcastan, which means a ‘chestnut tree’. It could be a topographic name for someone living near a chestnut tree.

79. Chatelain:

This medieval cultural name refers to a governor, constable, or the warder of a prison. The name is derived from Norman old French wordchastelain,which is in turn derived from the Latin wordcastellumthat means a ‘watchtower’.

80. Chevalier:

In old French,chevaliermeans ‘knight’, or ‘horseman’ or ‘rider’.

81. Chevrolet:

这个姓来源于the French wordchevre意思是“goat’. It could be an occupational name for a person who cultivated goats.

82. Chopin:

这个姓来源于the old French wordchopine,which was an old medieval measure of liquid.

83. Clair:

This surname is a French form of theLatin namecalrus,意思是“clear’, ‘bright’ or ‘famous’.

84. Cloutier:

This French surname dates back to the medieval period. It was a Norman name given to a person who sold nails. The meaning of the French wordclous is ‘nails’.

85. Collin:

Some of the French surnames are patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father’s given name. Collin is derived fromcolle,which is ashort form of the Latin personal nameNicholausthat means ‘people’s victory’.

86. Comtois:

This is a geographical surname of people from Franche-Comte, a province in eastern France, and means ‘free country’.

87. Corbin:

This French surname was originally derived from the old French wordcorbeau,意思是“raven, little crow’.

88. Courbet:

It could be a place or a field with a curve shape or a meandering river. It could also have derived from the old French wordcorebtmeaning ‘raven’.

89. Coutermanche:

This means ‘short sleeve’ in French.

90. Couture:

Derived from old Frenchcousturemeaning ‘seam’, this could be an occupational name for a tailor.

91. Crozier:

This is an occupational name for someone who carried a cross or bishop’s crook in religious processions.

92. De la Cour:

This surname means ‘of the court’. It could be an occupational name for someone who lived at or was employed at a court.

93. De la Croix:

The meaning of this surname is ‘of the cross’.

94. De la Rue:

This name dates back to Medieval France. The name Rue is derived from old Frenchruelle意思是“lane’ or ‘alley’. The meaning of this surname is ‘of the street’.

95. Delisle:

Also written as De Lisle, this French surname has its roots in the medieval region of l’Isle in Languedoc. Delisle means ‘of the island’.

96. Deloney:

This surname means ‘from Aunay’. There are several places in northern and eastern France with this name.

97. DeRose:

This French surname is said to have originated from a sobriquet for a person with rosy complexion.

98. Descamps:

This topographic surname, originating from Picardy in France, is given to a person residing near a hill, stream, church or a type of tree. In old French, the wordchampsmeans ‘of the field’.

99. Descoteaux:

Traditional French surname meaning small hill

Image: Shutterstock

This surname derived fromcoteau,which means a ‘small hill’.

100. Desjardins:

This is another ancient French surname and translates to ‘from the gardens’.

101. Desmarais:

In old French, this name translates to ‘from the marsh’.

102. De Villiers:

This name is derived from the name of a plant known asvrilles(蔓)。它可以是一个职业的名字person who planted or worked onvrilles.

103. Droit:

This means ‘right’ or ‘straight’. It could be a byname for an upright person.

104. Dubois:

Originating from the French wordboismeaning ‘forest’, the surname means ‘from the forest’.

105. Dupont:

Also written as DuPont, duPont or du Pont, this French surname means ‘of the bridge’. This could be a habitational surname for a person living near a bridge.

106. Dupuis:

This is one of the common French last names and it means ‘from the well/ hole’.

107. Durand:

In old French,durandmeans ‘enduring’.

108. Edouard:

This surname is French equivalent to Edward, and means a ‘prosperous guardian’.

109. Escoffier:

It is derived from the wordescofia, which means ‘to dress’.

110. Farrow:

This occupational surname derived from the wordferror, which refers to an iron worker.

111. Faucher:

Derived fromfauchethat means ‘sycthe’, Faucher could be an occupational name for a mower.

112. Favre:

This surname derived from Latin wordfevre, which means a ‘craftsman’.

113. Fay:

This surname derived from the Norman surnamede Fae,which means‘of the fairy’.

114. Fontaine:

Derived from old French wordfontanemeaning ‘well’ or ‘fountain’.

115. Forestier:

This Languedoc name is derived from the old French wordforet, which means ‘forest’. This occupational name derived from the keeper of the king’s forest.

116. Fortier:

Derived from old French wordfortmeaning ‘stronghold’, Fortier could be an occupational name for someone who lived or worked in such a place.

117. Fortin:

This is derived from the French wordfort意思是“strong’.

118. Fournier:

This is an occupational surname for baker. In old French, this word referred to someone who cooked dough in thefourneauor oven.

119. Fraise:

This is a topographic surname for someone who lived by an ash tree or by an ash wood.

120. Frossard:

This is derived from the old French wordfroisser, which means ‘to break’ or ‘shatter’.

121. Gagne:

This is an occupational name for a farmer or peasant. Derived from the old French wordgainer意思是“to cultivate’ or ‘work’.

122. Gagneux:

Derived from old French wordgagnier,the surname means ‘to farm’ or ‘cultivate’.

123. Gagnon:

It is derived from the old French namegagnon,意思是“mastiff’ or a ‘guard dog’.

124. Garcon:

This word means ‘boy’ in French and might be referring to a servant.

125. Garnier:

This name is derived from the old French wordgernerorgernier,意思是“storehouse for corn’ or ‘keeper of the granary’.

126. Gaudin:

This ancient surname derived from anold German nameGodino, which means ‘son of God’.

127. Gauthier:

This French surname is from Languedoc, and means an ‘army ruler’.

128. Gay:

This name is derived from the nickname given to a person who is light-hearted and joyful. In old French, the wordgaimeans ‘full of joy’.

129. Geiger:

This is an occupational surname given to a person who plays or makes the violin. This is derived from the old French wordgigaere,意思是“violinist or fiddle player’.

130. Gerard:

This is a derivative of the personal name Gerard.Germeans ‘spear’ andhardmeans ‘brave and strong’.

131. Gouin:

This is a nickname for a person with fair or light complexion. It is derived from the wordgwen,意思是“light’ or ‘fair’.

132. Grange:

This name is derived from the old French wordgrange, which means ‘granary’ or ‘barn’.

133. Guillaume:

The name is derived from the popular Norman given nameWilliam, which means ‘protection’ or ‘strength’.

134. Heroux:

This name is derived from the German personal name Hariwulf, in whichHarimeans ‘army’ andwulfmeans ‘wolf’.

135. Houde:

This surname was first found in Auvergne, a province in south France. The name is derived from a village in Haute-Loire, in the district of Puy.This is derived from the French personal name Oudet, which is a Frenchified form of the Germanic name Odo, which was in turn derived from aud meaning ‘wealth’.

136. Janvier:

Derived from French wordjanviermeaning ‘January’, this could have originated from a person who was born or baptized in that month.

137. Joubert:

This name is probably a combination of a tribe calledGautand the wordberht, which means ‘bright’ or ‘famous’.

138.Jourdain:

This is a French variant ofJordan,意思是“one who descends’.

139. Kaplan:

This word is derived from the old Norman French wordcaplain, which means ‘charity priest’.

140. La Cour:

This French surname means ‘the court’. It could be an occupational name for someone who worked at a court.

141. Laferriere:

This is a habitational name for places that have iron mines.

142. Lafitte:

This is a topographic name for someone who lived near a boundary mark. In old French,fittemeans ‘fixed stone’.

143. Laflamme:

This is a nickname or an occupational name for a torchbearer.Lameans ‘the’ andFlammemeans ‘fire’.

144. Laframboise:

This French surname means ‘raspberry’.

145. Lagarde:

This is a habitational name from various places in Ariege, Gers, and Moselle. In old French,Lagardemeans ‘to watch’.

146. Lagrange:

This French surname derived from someone who lived by a granary.

147. Lamar:

Originated from a place in Normandy, this name is derived from the old French wordla maremeaning ‘the pool’.

148. Lambert:

This name is derived from an old German nameLandberht,这意味着“明亮的土地”或“光的土地”. This surname could also be an occupational surname for a lamb herd.

149. Landry:

It is derived from a German personal nameLandric,in whichLandmeans ‘land’ andricmeans ‘powerful’ or ‘ruler’.

150. Lane:

The French wordlanemeans ‘wool’. It could be an occupational surname for someone who traded in wool.

151. Langlois:

Also known as L’Anglois or Langlois, it means ‘the Englishman’. This word was used for the Englishmen living in France.

152. Laval:

This name is derived from the French wordvallee,意思是“valley’. It also has an alternative spelling ‘Duval’ which means ‘of the valley’.

153. Lavigne:

Traditional French surname refering to somone living near vineyard

Image: Shutterstock

In old French,vi(g)nemeans ‘vineyard’. It could be the topographic name for someone who lived near owned a vineyard.

protip_icon Trivia
Canadian singer and songwriter, Avril Lavigne is a popular bearer of this surname.

154. Lavoie:

This is a topographic name for someone who lived by a road. The wordvoiemeans ‘road’ or ‘path’ in French.

155. Le Borgne:

Also written as Leborgne, this French surname means ‘the one-eyed’.

156. Le Beau:

In old French,beaumeans ‘fair’, ‘lovely’ or ‘handsome’.

157. Leclerc:

In French, the wordsleclercmeans ‘the clerk’. This could be an occupational name of a scribe or secretary.

158. Lefebvre:

It is also written as Lefevre, Lefeuvre, and Lefebure. This is an occupational surname for an ironsmith. In old French,fevremeans ‘craftsman’.

159. Leger:

In French,legermeans ‘light’ or ‘superficial’.

160. Lejeune:

The wordjeunemeans ‘young’.

161. Lemaire:

This word means ‘mayor’. It is a title given to a town official.

162. Lemaitre:

In old French,maistremeans ‘master’. This could be an occupational name for someone who is a master of his craft.

163. Lenoir:

In French,noirmeans ‘dark’ or ‘black’.

164. Leroux:

这个姓来源于an old French namerous,意思是“red’ or ‘red-haired’.

165. Leroy:

In old French,roymeans ‘king’.

166. Le Sueur:

This is a surname for a shoemaker or a cobbler. In old French,sueurmeans ‘one who sews’.

167. Levasseur:

This surname was a status name from the old French wordvasseor, who is a tenant ranking below a baron in the feudal system.

168. Loup:

This French surname is derived from the Latin wordlupusmeaning ‘wolf’. Its variants are Leloup and Leleu.

169. Marchal:

这个姓来源于the old German wordmarah,意思是“horse’ andsclacmeaning ‘servant’. This could be an occupational name for someone who looked after horses.

170. Marchand:

这可能是一个职业人bought and sold goods. In old French,Marchandmeans ‘merchant’.

171. Martel:

Derived from the old French wordmartelmeaning ‘hammer’, it could possibly be a name for a smith.

172. Matthieu:

This surname derived from the Latin wordMatthaeus, which is in turn derived from GreekMatthaios,meaning ‘gift of the lord’.

173. Milhaud:

This French family name is derived fromMilhaud,在法国加尔省的一个小社区.

174. Moreau:

It was originally a nickname for someone with dark skin.Moremeans ‘dark-skinned’.

175. Moulin:

Derived from the Latin wordMolina,意思是“mill’, Moulin could be an occupational name for a miller.

176. Ozanne:

This originated from a female given nameOsanna, which means ‘save now,’ or ‘save pray’.

177. Page:

The occupationalname originated from the Greek wordpaidion, which means a ‘little boy’.

178. Palomer:

Meaning ‘pigeon keeper’, the name derived from the Latin wordpalumbesthat is ‘pigeon’.

179. Paquet:

The old French wordpacquetmeans a ‘bundle of kindling’. This could have been an occupational name for a gatherer or seller of firewood.

180. Pascal:

This is derived from the Latin wordPascha, which means ‘pass over’.

181. Pelissier:

In old French,pellicemeans ‘fur cloak’.

182. Picard:

This name is derived from Picard, a place in northern France. This could be a habitual name for someone living in Picard.

183. Plamondon:

In French,platmeans ‘flat’ andmontmeans ‘mountain’. Could be a nickname for someone who lived near a flat-topped mountain.

184. Plantier:

This is derived from the wordplentive,意思是“planter of wines’. This could also be a topographic name which means an ‘area with plants’ or ‘shrubbery’.

185. Plessis:

Also written as Plessy and de Plessis, the surname means ‘a fence made of interwoven branches’.

186. Plourde:

It could have derived frompalourde, a type of shellfish.

187. Poirier:

This means ‘pear tree’ in French and could be a name for someone who lived close to a pear tree.

188. Poirot:

This surname, made famous by Agatha Christie’s character Hercule Poirot, derived from the wordpoiremeaning ‘pear’.

189. Pomeroy:

This surname originated from the wordPommeroie,meaning an apple orchard.

190. Porcher:

Derived from the French wordporchiermeaning ‘swineherd,’ this could be an occupational name for someone who rears pigs.

191. Poulin:

This could be an occupational surname for a person who breeds poultry. In old Frenchpoulemeans ‘chicken’.

192. Prevost:

Prevost or provost was an ancient French appellation given to a chief.

193. Proulx:

这个姓来源于old French wordpreu,meaning ‘valiant’ or ‘brave’.

194. Pueyrredon:

这个姓来源于the Latin wordspodium rotudnumwhich mean a ‘rounded hill’.

195. Rayne:

这个姓来源于the German wordragin,meaning ‘advice’ or ‘counsel’.

196. Reason:

这个姓来源于the old French wordraison, which means ‘intellectual faculty’.

197. Remy:

This medieval personal name is represented by two Latin names,Remihius, which means ‘rower’ or ‘oarsman’, andRemedius,意思是“cure’.

198. Renouard:

这个姓来源于the German wordsraginmeaning ‘counsel’, andwaldmeaning ‘rule’.

199. Ricard:

This is derived from the wordsricmeaning ‘powerful’ andhardmeaning ‘brave’ and ‘strong’.

200. Richelieu:

This is derived from the name of a town.Richemeans ‘wealthy’ andlieumeans ‘place’ in French.

201. Riviere:

Riviere, traditional French surname

Image: IStock

This is a topographic name for someone who lived by the bank of a river. In old French,rivieremeans ‘river’ or ‘shore’.

202. Robida:

This name was first used in Auvergne a place in ancient France.

203. Robillard:

This surname from Normandy derived from Germanic wordshrodmeaning ‘glory’, andberhtmeaning ‘illustrious’ or ‘brilliant’.

204. Roche:

This is a topographic surname who resided near hills. In old French, the wordrochemeans ‘rocky outcrop’.

205. Rodier:

This is an occupational name for wheelwright or a topographic name for someone who lived near a waterwheel. It is derived from the Latin wordrota意思是“wheel’.

206. Rossignol:

This ancient French name refers to someone who has a pleasant voice. It derived from the old French wordrossinhol,意思是“nightingale’.

207. Rousseau:

This surname refers to a person with red hair or complexion. It is derived from the old French namerous,意思是“red’.

208. Rutter:

There could be two origins for this surname.It could have originated from the old French wordsroteor, roteeur, and routeer,which are used for a person who plays the rote. Or it may be related to the old French wordrotier, routiermeaning ‘highwayman’.

209. Sale:

This is derived from the old French word sale which means ‘salty.’ This could be a topographic or occupational name for someone who lived by, or worked in a salt marsh.

210. Sartre:

This is a French occupational name for someone who sews clothes. It derived from the Latin wordsartormeaning ‘tailor’.

211. Sauveterre:

This name originated from the French wordsauvemeaning ‘safe’ andterremeaning ‘land’.

212. Schaeffer:

This surname is of German origin and is derived from the wordschaffaeremeaning ‘manager’ or the ‘the head of the household’.

213. Segal:

Occupational name for a grower or seller of rye, derived from Latinsecalemeaning ‘rye’.

214. Sergeant:

This is derived from an old French wordsergentmeaning ‘servant’ which derived from a Latin wordserviremeaning ‘to serve’.

215. Serres:

This could be a habitational name for places near southern and eastern France, or topographic name derived from the wordserremeaning ‘ridge’ or ‘chain of hills’.

216. Serrurier:

It means ‘locksmith’.

217. Simon:

This is a popular surname is Europe and has historical origins. It means ‘to listen’.

218. Soulier:

This is an occupational surname for a shoemaker, derived from the old French wordsoulier意思是“shoe’ or ‘sandal’. It could have also originated from the old French wordsoule,意思是“platform’.

219. Tardy:

This could be a habitational surname for someone who is from a place called Tard or could have derived from the wordTardif,意思是“slow’.

220. Tasse:

Derived from old French wordtassemeaning ‘purse’ or ‘bag’, it could be an occupational name for a maker of purses.

221. Tavernier:

This is an occupational name derived from the old French wordTavernier,意思是“innkeeper’.

222. Thibaut:

这个姓来源于the French personal name Theobald which means ‘brave’ or ‘bold’.

223. Toussaint:

Tousmeans ‘all’, andsaintmeans ‘saints’.

224. Travers:

Derived from the French wordtraversermeaning ‘to cross’,this name was used for a person who lived near a bridge or ford.

225. Tremblay:

This is a plural form oftremble,意思是“aspen’. This could be a topographic name for someone who lived near a group of aspen trees.

226. Trottier:

This is an occupational surname derived from the old French wordtrotter,意思是“walk fast’.

227. Vachon:

This is derived from the Latin wordvache,意思是“cow’. It could be an occupational name for someone who was a cowherd.

228. Vadeboncoeur:

This surname means ‘go with a merry heart’.

229. Vaillancourt:

This is a variant of the wordvalencourt,这意味着一个“低洼的farm’.

230. Vaillant:

It is derived from the old French wordvaillant,意思是“sturdy’ or ‘brave’.

231. Valade:

This word is an Occitan (a language spoken in southern France) variant ofvallee,意思是“valley’.

232. Vannier:

这个姓来源于the French wordvanierthat referstosomeone who does winnowing (blows the chaff from wheat).

233. Varon:

这个姓来源于the old German personal nameWaro,which in turn derived fromwarameaning ‘protection’.

234. Vautour:

这个姓来源于the old French namevoltoror Occitan namevautor,意思是“vulture’.

235. Vaux:

This could be a habitational name from various places in northern France, which are called vaux. This name is derived from the old French plural of val which means ‘valley’

236. Veilleux:

This surname, derived from the old French wordveille,means ‘watch’ or ‘guard’. It could also be an occupational name for a watchman.

237. Vercher:

This name is derived from the medieval Latin namevercaria,意思是“farmland’.

238. Verne:

In French, the wordvernemeans ‘alder’.

239. Verville:

This French surname could have derived from the French wordsversmeaning ‘towards’ andvillemeaning ‘town’. It could have also originated from from the wordsvertmeaning ‘green’ andvillemeaning ‘town’. The third origin is from the wordvervelle, which ‘metal keeper’.

240. Vieux:

This name is derived from the French wordvieux,意思是“old’. It

241. Vigeant:

This is a habitational name from Vigeant in Vienne. It is known to be derived from the Latin wordvinacus, which is a derivative ofvicusmeaning ‘village’.

242. Vigneau:

It could also be a status name for the owner of a vineyard. This is derived from the Occitan wordvinhier,意思是“vineyard’.

243. Villeneuve:

这个名字来源于的话villemeaning ‘settlement’ andneuvemeaning ‘new’.

244. Vinet:

This French surname is derived from the old French wordviner, which means ‘to make wine’. It could also be an occupational name for a wine-grower.

245. Violette:

It is the French variation for ‘violet’.

246. Visage:

It means ‘face’.

247. Voclain:

这个姓来源于old French name Vauquelin, which must have probably originated fromWalkelinmeaning ‘the wealthy one’.

248. Voland:

This is derived from the old French wordvoler,意思是“to fly’ or ‘agile’.

249. Wack:

This is derived from old Flemish wordwacquewhich is a measure of weight. This could be an occupational name for an official responsible for weighing.

250. Webster:

This is an occupational name for someone who weaves.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do French last names work?

French surnames are derived from several elements, such as the surname of either the mother or the father, profession, place of residence, or other unique characteristics.

2. Do French do not like to use the first name?

Some French do not like being called with their first name unless you are a close person. They prefer the formal way of calling, which is using their surname.

This is a well-curated list of the traditional French surnames. French last names can be either patriarchal, matriarchal, or hyphenated in alphabetical order. One lesser-known fact about French surnames is that it is not legally mandatory for French women to adopt their husband’s surname after marriage, but some women do it customarily. A few surnames are also used as middle names by some. And if you like the meaning or the sound of any name, you may use it as a alias name, pen name, or stage name.

Infographic: French Last Names Or Surnames

French last names or surnames are usually based on ancestry or toponymic origin. If you are mesmerized by the country’s names and traditions, check out this infographic for some of the traditional and vibrant French surnames.

french surnames (infographic)

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below.

Download Infographic in PDF version Download Infographic
Download Infographic in PDF version


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