The 80 most common French surnames

Almost 70 million people live in France, people whose origins are very varied given the geographical position of the Gallic nation. A mixture of Germanic, Roman and even Basque influences, France has a great diversity in terms of its surnames.

In this country we can find genuinely French surnames written in both modern and medieval French, Basque, Occitan and German. Some originate from professions and others come from the name of places, and today we are going to discover what are the most common French surnames today and what is its origin.

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The 80 most frequent French surnames

France is a country that currently has 67 million people. The Gallic country has received all kinds of cultures throughout its history, so it is not surprising that among its population there are people with surnames of multiple linguistic origins, especially Germanic and Romans. Although most of the French surnames are in modern French, not a few retain variations of medieval French, Occitan and even Basque and German.

In the following sections we are going to discover the origin of the 80 most common French surnames.

1. Martin

The surname Martin It is the most common surname in all of France and practically the most frequent in all the departments of the country. It comes from the Latin name Martinus, popularized in the Gallic country by the figure of Saint Martin, a Christian evangelizer in ancient Gaul.

2. Bernard

Bernard is, in addition to a name, a very popular surname in France. This derives from the Germanic term "Bernhard", which means "strong bear" and was a very common name among warriors from Roman Germania.

3. Thomas

The surname Thomas is of biblical origin and became popular in France thanks to the figure of the apostle Judas Thomas Didymus and, also, by Saint Thomas Becket of Canterbury in the 12th century. Thomas's name means "twin" in Aramaic.

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4. Petit

Petit is a French surname that literally means "little". The origin of him is probably the one to baptize with this surname a man of short stature.

5. Robert

Robert is a surname and first name of person, of Germanic origin. It comes from the term "Hrodberht", which means "illustrious glory".

6. Richard

Richard is a surname and first name also of Germanic origin. It comes from the word "Richhard", meaning "rich man" and it was common to give it to men with great wealth during the Middle Ages.

7. Durand

Durand comes from the Latin name "durandus", a term derived from the verb "durare", which means "to harden" or "to be stubborn."

8. Dubois

Dubois is a very common surname in the north of France, the west and the center. It is a toponymic surname, that is, that refers to a place, in this case referring to a house or property near a forest. In fact, this last name literally means "from the forest."

9. Moreau

Moreau is a surname whose origin is descriptive. It is read "moró" and refers to a person whose skin is brown, comparing it with that of the Muslims of Iberia and southern France in the Middle Ages.

10. Laurent

Laurent comes from the Latin word "laurus", which means laurel or laurel wreath. Men in athletic societies were often called that.

11. Simon

Simon is a proper name and a French surname whose origin is found in the Bible. It comes from the ancient Hebrew "Shim'on", the name of the 1st century apostle and martyr Simon the Zealot.

12. Michel

Michel is a very frequent French name and surname that comes, like many others, from the Bible. Its origin is in Mikael, the name given to the archangel protector of God's people.

13. Lefebvre

Lefebvre is a very common surname throughout France, but especially in the Lille region (North of France). It is a spelling variation of the Lefevre surname, which ironically despite being the correct standard form, is less common. Lefebvre comes from the old French "febvre", meaning "blacksmith".

14. Leroy

Leroy is a very common surname in northern and northwestern French. Its origin is in the name that was given to whoever won a game of bow.

15. Roux

Roux is a very common surname in central France, originally used to describe a red-haired person.

16. David

David is a surname that comes from the homonymous proper name and of biblical origin. It means "well loved", popularized for being the name of one of the kings of Israel and Judea.

17. Bertrand

Bertrand is a proper name whose origin comes from the ancient Germanic "Berhauthramm", composed of "berhaut", which means "famous, renowned" and "hramm", which means "raven".

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18. Morel

Morel has the same origin as the surname Moreau, referring to a person with brown skin.

19. Fournier

Fournier is a surname that has its origin in the baker's profession. Nowadays baker is called "boulanger" in modern French, but in the old languages ​​d’oïl and d’òc it is he used the term "fournier", literally meaning "hornero" and cognate of the word "forner" in Catalan.

20. Girard

Girard is a variation of the old Germanic word "Gerhard", a combination of "ger", which means spear, and "hard", which means hard. It is another surname whose origin is the name of some Germanic warrior.

21. Bonnet

Bonnet comes from the Latin word "bonitus", derived in turn from "bonus" and which means good or good. This surname became popular with the figure of Saint Bonnet de Clermont, a religious character from the 7th century.

22. Dupont

Dupont is a toponymic surname, referring to a house or property located near a bridge because, literally, means "of the bridge".

23. Lambert

Lambert has its origin in the Germanic word "Landberht", composed of "land", which means land or country, and "berht", which means famous or illustrious.

24. Fontaine

Fontaine comes from the medieval Latin “fontana”, which means both a source of water and a source of resources.

25. Rousseau

Rousseau is a very common surname in the center and west of the Gallic nation. Its origin is in referring to a person with reddish hair.

26. Vincent

Vincent is a French proper name and surname, coming from the Latin name Vincentius whose meaning is that of victor. It was popularized with the figure of the Hispano-Roman martyr Vicente de Huesca, executed in the 3rd century.

27. Muller

Muller is a very common surname in the Alsace-Lorraine region, currently in the French state but with a German culture. In German "Müller" means "miller".

28. Faure

Faure is a very common surname in the southeastern region of France. It is a word of Occitan origin, equivalent to the surname Lefebvre or Lefevre in French and means “blacksmith”.

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29. André

André comes from the ancient Greek "andros", which refers to a very virile and brave man.

30. Mercier

Mercier is very common to the north and west of France. It is an old French word that means "peddler."

31. Blanc

Blanc is a very common surname in the south of France and refers to a person who has very white hair.

32. Guerin

Guerin is a surname whose origin, like many others in France, is Germanic. It comes from the German word “warino”, which means “war or war paraphernalia”.

33. Boyer

Boyer is a very common surname in central France. It is a variation of the surname Bouvier, and means "person who guards the oxen"

34. Garnier

Garnier is of Germanic origin. His origin is the same as that of the surname Guerin, derived from the word "warino" and related to the world of war.

35. Chevalier

Chevalier is a surname that in modern French literally means “gentleman”. Its origin would go back to the vulgar Latin “caballus”, a more popular term in Roman Gaul and Hispania than “equus” from the Latin spoken by the elites.

36. François

François is both a surname and a French proper name, derived from the Latin name Franciscus. It refers to everything related to the Franks and was popularized by the figure of Saint Francis of Assisi.

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37. Legrand

Legrand is a very widespread surname in the north and north-west of France. Its meaning does not have much mystery, because in modern French it means “the great one”, referring to a person of great proportions.

38. Gauthier

Gauthier is a surname of Germanic origin, coming from the word "Ealdhari", composed of "waldan", which means "to rule" and "hari", which means "armed".

39. Garcia

García is a surname of Spanish origin but very common in France, especially in the regions of the Hispanogal border, such as Iparralde (French Basque Country) or Languedoc-Roussillon (Catalonia North). It comes from the Basque "artz", which means "bear".

40. Perrin

Perrin is a surname derived from the French proper name Pierre, which in turn comes from the Latin name Petrus, which means "stone or rock."

41. Robin

Robin is a familiar form of the proper name Robert, which as mentioned before is Germanic and means "illustrious glory."

42. Clement

Clement is a proper name that comes from the Latin name Clementis, derived from “clemens”, which means “clement” or “peaceful”. It is a surname and name that became very popular with the figure of Catholic bishops and popes.

43. Morin

Morin is a name closely related to the surnames Moreau and Morel, referring to a person with a Moorish appearance.

44. Nicholas

Nicolas comes from the Greek name Nikelaos, made up of "Nike", "victory" and "laos", "people". It means "victorious people".

45. Henry

Henry is a proper name and surname that comes from the Germanic term "Haimrich", composed of "haim", which means "house" and "rich", which means "powerful and rich."

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46. Roussel

The surname Roussel has its origins in Old French and refers to a person who has hair the color of fire, reddish or orange.

47. Mathieu

Mathieu comes from the Biblical Hebrew name Mattai, which means "two of God."

48. Masson

Masson is a surname of curious origin, because it is the result of an apheresis of the name Thomasson, removing the first syllable of that surname. Its origin is the same as that of the surname Thomas.

49. Marchand

Marchand is a very common surname in Normandy and Picardy. It means "merchant."

50. Duval

Duval is a toponymic surname, referring to a house that is located near a valley, which in fact means “from the valley”.

51. Denis

Denis is a name and surname whose origin is in the name of the Greek god Dionysus, the god of wine and delirium.

52. Dumont

Dumont is another toponymic surname that refers to a high-rise house. It literally means "of the mountain."

53. Marie

Marie is both a proper name and a surname. Its origin is Aramaic and is directly related to the figure of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. This surname is also related to the name Miriam.

54. Lemaire

Lemaire is a surname that refers to the profession of municipal magistrate. In fact, "le maire" in French would be translated as "the mayor."

55. Noel

Noël is a name and surname that derives from the Latin word "natalis", which means "birth". Noël is the French word for Christmas.

56. Meyer

Meyer is a surname of German origin, very common in Alsace-Lorraine. Its historical origins can be found in the Israeli name "meier", related to light and everything that is luminous.

57. Dufour

Dufour is a surname that means "from the oven" in French, referring to the profession of a baker.

58. Meunier

Meunier is a very widespread surname throughout France and means “miller”.

59. Brun

Brun means "brown" and refers to a person who has hair of that color.

60. Blanchard

Blanchard is a very common surname in Normandy. It derives from the French "blanc", that is, "white", and refers to a person with gray hair. It is also related to the Germanic word "Blankhard", which would mean "hard and bright."

61. Giraud

Giraud is a variation of Geraud, whose meaning is "war spear".

62. Joly

Joly is a surname that derives from the ancient Yule celebrations, the equivalent of Christmas in the Scandinavian world. In fact, in Swedish Jul means Christmas, a term cognate to the last name Joly. It also means joyful or gentle. 63. Riviere

The surname Riviere can be translated as "ribera" in Spanish. It is a toponymic surname that refers to a place that is near a river.

64. Luke

Lucas is a proper name and surname that comes from the Latin “lux”, which means “light”.

65. Brunet

Brunet is a derivative of "brun", which means "chestnut".

66. Gaillard

Gaillard is a surname that has the same origin as the Spanish Gallardo. It refers to a person who is vigorous and stout in appearance.

67. Barbier

Barbier is a surname whose origin is in the profession of barber.

68. Arnaud

Arnaud is a common male surname in the southern regions of France. It derives from “Arnwald”, which means “ruling eagle”.

69. Martinez

Martínez is a Spanish name, very common in French Catalonia, which means “son of Martín”.

70. Gerard

Gerard is a surname whose origin is the same as that of Giraud and Girard, meaning "hard spear".

71. Roche

Roche is a toponymic surname, common in regions where the landscape is dominated by rocks.

72. Renard

Renard is a name that is derived from the Germanic term "Raginhard", composed of "ragin", which means "advice" and "hard", "hard".

73. Schmitt

Schmitt, also written as Schmidt, is a common surname in Alsace-Lorraine and other Germanic countries. It means "blacksmith".

74. Roy

Roy has the same origin as the last name Leroy, referring to a person who has won an archery competition.

75. Leroux

Leroux is a very common surname in northwestern France and has its origin in describing a person with red hair.

76. Colin

Colin is a surname that arises as Nicolin apheresis, diminutive of Nicolas. Its origin is the same as that of the surname Nicolas, meaning "victorious people".

77. Vidal

Vidal is the Occitan form of the name Vial, derived from the Latin "vitalis".

78. Caron

Caron is a surname derived from the name of a 5th century saint from the city of Chartres.

79. Picard

Picard is a frequent surname, originating from the Picardy region.

80. Roger

Roger is a personal name and surname derived from "Hrodgari", composed of "hrod", which means "glory", and "gari", which means "spear".