210 Popular French Last Names or Surnames & Their Meanings

French last names carry a rich history, often reflecting occupations, geographical origins, personal traits, or even ancestral lineage. Whether you’re researching your family roots, naming a character in a story, or just curious about French culture, this list will guide you through some of the most common and meaningful French surnames.

Let’s explore these names, categorized by their origins and meanings.

Occupational Surnames

Many French last names stem from the professions of ancestors. Here are some notable ones:

Boulanger – Means “baker.”
Lefèvre (or Lefebvre) – Derived from “le fèvre,” meaning “the blacksmith.”
Meunier – Means “miller.”
Charpentier – Refers to a “carpenter.”
Marchand – Means “merchant.”
Fournier – Occupational name for a “baker” or “furnace worker.”
Berger – Means “shepherd.”
Potier – Refers to a “potter.”
Tisserand – Means “weaver.”
Cordonnier – Refers to a “shoemaker.”

Geographical & Location-Based Surnames

Some surnames come from places; towns, landscapes, or natural features.

Dubois – Means “from the woods” or “of the wood.”
Dupont – Means “from the bridge.”
Dumont – Means “from the mountain.”
Duval – Means “from the valley.”
Deschamps – Means “from the fields.”
Delacroix – Means “of the cross” (often near a crossroads or religious symbol).
Beaumont – Means “beautiful mountain.”
Leroy – Means “the king,” possibly indicating royal service.
Langlois – Means “the Englishman,” suggesting English ancestry.
Moreau – Derived from “Moor,” indicating dark complexion or Moorish descent.

Patronymic & Matronymic Surnames

These names are based on a father’s or mother’s first name.

Martin – Derived from the Latin name Martinus (son of Martin).
Bernard – Means “brave as a bear” (son of Bernard).
Thomas – Son of Thomas.
Richard – Means “strong ruler” (son of Richard).
Petit – Means “small” or “young,” often the youngest son.
Robert – Son of Robert (“bright fame”).
Michel – Son of Michel (French form of Michael).
Laurent – Derived from the Latin name Laurentius.
Girard – Means “spear brave” (son of Girard).
Guillaume – French form of “William,” meaning “resolute protector.”

Descriptive Surnames (Based on Traits or Nicknames)

These names describe physical or personality traits.

Leblanc – Means “the white,” possibly referring to fair hair or complexion.
Legrand – Means “the tall” or “the large.”
Roux – Means “red-haired.”
Brun – Means “brown,” referring to hair or complexion.
Petit – Means “small” or “short.”
Noir – Means “black,” possibly referring to dark hair or clothing.
Leroux – Means “the red,” another reference to red hair.
Fortin – Means “strong” or “brave.”
Vieux – Means “old,” possibly an elder in the family.
Joly – Means “cheerful” or “happy.”

Nature-Inspired Surnames

Many French names are inspired by the natural world.

Lefèvre – Related to ironwork (from “faber,” meaning craftsman).
Leroy – Means “the king.”
Lemoine – Means “the monk.”
Fontaine – Means “fountain” or “spring.”
Rivière – Means “river.”
Boivin – Means “drinker of wine.”
Mercier – Means “merchant,” but also linked to “mer” (sea).
Pineau – Means “pine tree.”
Lacroix – Means “the cross.”
Dubourg – Means “of the fortress.”

Military & Noble-Inspired Surnames

Some names reflect nobility, knights, or warriors.

Chevalier – Means “knight.”
Dupuis – Means “from the well,” but also linked to defensive positions.
Lelong – Means “the long,” possibly referring to a spear or weapon.
Guerin – Means “warrior.”
Barbier – Means “barber,” but also linked to surgeons in medieval times.
Lemaire – Means “the mayor” or leader.
Vidal – Means “life,” possibly a soldier’s name.
Dumas – Means “from the farm,” but also linked to nobility.
Lambert – Means “land bright,” a noble name.
Perrot – Derived from “Pierre,” meaning “stone” (strong as stone).

Regional & Ethnic Surnames

Some names highlight a family’s origins from specific French regions or foreign roots.

Breton – Indicates ancestry from Brittany.
Gaspar – Of Basque origin, meaning “treasurer.”
Provençal – From the Provence region.
Lorrain – From Lorraine.
Picard – From Picardy.
Savoyard – From Savoy.
Aubert – Means “noble-bright,” common in Normandy.
Flamand – Means “Flemish,” indicating Belgian or Dutch roots.
Lombard – Refers to someone from Lombardy, Italy.
Catalan – Indicates Catalan (Spanish-French border) heritage.

Animal-Inspired Surnames

Animals often symbolized traits, leading to surnames like:

Loup – Means “wolf,” symbolizing cunning or fierceness.
Renard – Means “fox,” representing cleverness.
Léger – Means “light” or “deer-like.”
Colombe – Means “dove,” symbolizing peace.
Salmon – Derived from “saumon” (salmon), possibly a fisherman.
Dauphin – Means “dolphin,” a noble or aquatic reference.
Perdrix – Means “partridge,” possibly a hunter.
Corbeau – Means “raven,” often symbolic in folklore.
Chevreuil – Means “roe deer.”
Mouton – Means “sheep,” perhaps a shepherd.

Religious & Spiritual Surnames

Many surnames reflect Christian influences, saints, or biblical references.

Saint-Pierre – Refers to Saint Peter.
Lévêque – Means “the bishop.”
Abbé – Means “abbot” (a religious leader).
Angel – Derived from “ange,” meaning “angel.”
Croix – Means “cross.”
Pascal – Associated with Easter (“Pâques”).
Clément – Means “merciful,” linked to Pope Clement.
Étienne – French form of “Stephen,” meaning “crown.”
Dominique – From the Latin “Dominicus” (of the Lord).
Mathieu – French form of “Matthew,” meaning “gift of God.”

Rare But Meaningful French Surnames

These less common names have intriguing histories.

Toussaint – Means “All Saints’ Day.”
Beausoleil – Means “beautiful sun.”
Belanger – Means “good angel.”
Bellerose – Means “beautiful rose.”
Bonnet – Means “hat,” possibly a hat-maker.
Chastain – Means “chestnut,” referring to hair color.
Duchamp – Means “from the field.”
Favreau – Derived from “faber” (craftsman).
Gagnon – Means “guard dog” or “winner.”
Hébert – Means “bright army.”

Compound & Hyphenated Surnames

Some French names combine two words, often from nobility or land ownership.

Dupont-Durand – Combines “of the bridge” + “enduring.”
Leclerc-Moreau – “The clerk” + “Moorish/dark.”
Martin-Laporte – “Martin” + “the door/gatekeeper.”
Rousseau-Lefèvre – “Red-haired” + “the blacksmith.”
Beaumont-Lacroix – “Beautiful mountain” + “the cross.”

Modern & Popular French Surnames Today

These names remain widespread in France today.

Bernard – Still very common, meaning “brave bear.”
Bertrand – Means “bright raven.”
Blanc – Means “white.”
Bonnet – Still used, meaning “hat.”
Bourgeois – Means “town dweller” or “middle-class.”
Caron – Means “cart driver.”
Clement – Means “merciful.”
David – Biblical, meaning “beloved.”
Fabre – Variant of “Lefèvre” (blacksmith).
Faure – Another blacksmith-related name.

Surnames from Old French & Medieval Times

Some names have ancient origins.

Aubry – Means “elf ruler.”
Baudet – Means “little bold one.”
Chevrolet – Derived from “chèvre” (goat).
Daguenet – An old French diminutive name.
Escoffier – Means “to dress” (related to cooking).

Surnames from French Literature & History

These names evoke iconic characters or historical personalities.

D’Artagnan – Made famous by The Three Musketeers, meaning “from Artagnan” (a Gascon village).
Valjean – From Les Misérables, possibly derived from “val” (valley) + “Jean.”
Hugo – Associated with Victor Hugo, meaning “mind” or “intellect.”
Lamarque – A noble name featured in Les Misérables.
Rostand – Linked to playwright Edmond Rostand (Cyrano de Bergerac).
Proust – As in Marcel Proust, possibly from “proue” (prow of a ship).
Zola – Émile Zola’s surname may derive from “zolla” (Italian for “clod of earth”).
Gavroche – The street urchin in Les Misérables, meaning “mischievous child.”
Tartuffe – From Molière’s play, meaning “hypocrite” (though not a real surname).
Bovary – Made iconic by Madame Bovary, possibly from “bovarius” (cowherd).

Surnames Inspired by Colors

French color-based surnames often described hair, clothing, or landscapes.

Blanchet – Diminutive of “blanc” (white).
Vermeil – Means “vermillion” or bright red.
Gris – Means “gray.”
Vert – Means “green.”
Bleu – Means “blue.”
Noiret – Derived from “noir” (black).
Roussel – Means “reddish” or “russet.”
Brunet – Diminutive of “brun” (brown).
Lavigne – Means “the vine,” but also evokes “lavender” (a purple hue).
Doré – Means “golden.”

Surnames with Germanic Roots

Due to Frankish influence, some French names have Germanic origins.

Gérard – From “ger” (spear) + “hard” (brave).
Arnould – Means “eagle power.”
Thibault – From “Theobald,” meaning “bold people.”
Gautier – Means “ruler of the army.”
Rodrigue – French form of “Rodrigo,” meaning “famous power.”
Clovis – Old Frankish name meaning “famous warrior.”
Raoul – From “Radulf,” meaning “wolf counsel.”
Engel – Means “angel” (Germanic influence).
Foucault – From “Fulcold,” meaning “people’s ruler.”
Wagner – Though German, used in Alsace (means “wagon-maker”).

Use our German last names generator for more surnames.

Surnames from Nicknames & Diminutives

Some names started as affectionate or teasing nicknames.

Colin – Diminutive of “Nicolas.”
Perrin – Pet form of “Pierre.”
Jeannin – Diminutive of “Jean.”
Martinet – Means “little Martin.”
Paquet – Means “packet” or “bundle,” possibly a merchant.
Manon – A diminutive of “Marie,” now a standalone surname.
Tatin – From “Tate,” an old nickname.
Lapin – Means “rabbit,” perhaps a quick or timid ancestor.
Poupard – Means “chubby” or “doll-like.”
Gros – Means “big” or “large.”

Surnames from Plants & Trees

Nature’s influence extends to flora-inspired names.

Laurier – Means “laurel,” symbolizing victory.
Chêne – Means “oak,” representing strength.
Pin – Means “pine tree.”
Rosier – Means “rose bush.”
Lavande – Means “lavender.”
Olivier – Means “olive tree.”
Sauvage – Means “wild” (like untamed plants).
Tilleul – Means “linden tree.”
Houx – Means “holly.”
Bois – Means “wood” or “forest.”

Surnames from Water & the Sea

France’s coastal and riverine history shaped these names.

Marin – Means “sailor.”
Delmare – Means “of the sea.”
Rivière – Means “river.”
Lacoste – Means “by the coast.”
Poisson – Means “fish,” likely a fisherman.
Barre – Means “sandbar” or “reef.”
Plage – Means “beach.”
Vague – Means “wave.”
Fontaine – Means “fountain” or “spring.”
Ruissel – Means “streamlet.”

Unique & Quirky French Surnames

These names stand out for their charm or oddity.

Piedboeuf – Means “ox foot,” possibly a butcher’s mark.
Tranchemontagne – Means “mountain cutter” (dramatic!).
Boileau – Means “drink water,” perhaps ironic for a wine-lover.
Sansregret – Means “without regret.”
Vadeboncoeur – Means “go with good heart.”
Tirelire – Means “piggy bank,” possibly a thrifty ancestor.
Fend-l’Air – Means “split the air,” maybe a swordsman’s name.
Têtu – Means “stubborn.”
Lajoie – Means “the joy.”
Bonenfant – Means “good child.”

Famous French Last Names

These surnames belong to renowned figures in art, science, and politics.

Monet – The Impressionist painter’s name may derive from “monnier” (miller).
Curie – Marie Curie’s surname comes from “curé” (priest) or a place name.
Pasteur – Means “shepherd,” famously Louis Pasteur.
Debussy – The composer’s name may come from “de Bussey” (a location).
Matisse – Possibly from “Mathieu,” meaning “gift of God.”
Sarkozy – Of Hungarian origin, but famously borne by ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy.
Chirac – Jacques Chirac’s surname may derive from “chiracum” (an old land term).
Macron – From “maqueron” (Occitan for “mason”).
Dior – The fashion house name means “golden” (from “d’or”).
Cartier – Means “cart driver,” but linked to the luxury brand.

Playful & Rarely Used Surnames

These names are less common but full of character.

Croquemitaine – A bogeyman-like figure in folklore.
Piedalu – Means “stilt foot,” possibly a nickname.
Trompe-la-Mort – Means “cheat death,” likely a daring ancestor.
Sanssouci – Means “carefree.”
Ventdebout – Means “wind standing,” poetic and rare.
Mangeclair – Means “eat light,” possibly a nickname.
Boiscoudé – Means “wooden elbow,” perhaps a carpenter.
Fermelœil – Means “close the eye,” mysterious!
Piedallu – Means “hairy foot,” a whimsical medieval nickname.
Tirebouchon – Means “corkscrew,” maybe a wine merchant.

Final Thoughts

French surnames are a tapestry of history, trade, nature, and even humor. Whether your own name is on this list or you’re just fascinated by linguistics, each one carries a legacy. From the noble Chevalier to the whimsical Tirebouchon, these names remind us that identity is often woven into the words we inherit.

Which surname surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments; or if you’re researching your French roots, bon courage!

Would you like any refinements or additional details on specific names?