This list includes 46 French last names that start with M, from “Macé” to “Ménard”. These names reflect regional accents, occupational roots, and Norman or Breton origins useful for genealogy and writing.
French last names that start with M are family names beginning with the letter M in French-speaking areas. Many derive from occupations, places, or nicknames; for example, Ménard appears historically as a stewardship name.
Below you’ll find the table with [COLUMN_NAMES].
Surname: The family name as written; you use this to look up individuals and confirm alphabetical placement.
Meaning / origin: Brief etymology or literal meaning; you learn the name’s linguistic roots and likely origin.
Variants: Common spellings and accented forms; you can track alternate records and regional spellings.
Notable people: Names of one to three well-known bearers; you can use these for context or further research.
Notes / region: Short notes on distribution, historical context, or recording quirks to help you interpret occurrences.
French last names that start with M
| Surname | Meaning/Origin | Approx. bearers in France | Variants (including accents) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin | From Latin Martinus, “of Mars”; personal name origin | 240,000 | Martens, Martyn |
| Moreau | Diminutive of “more” (dark-haired) or of “Maur”; medieval nickname | 120,000 | Moreaux, Morreau |
| Mercier | Occupational: merchant or trader (from “mercier”) | 68,000 | Mercié |
| Michel | From personal name Michael (Hebrew “who is like God”) | 80,000 | Michell, Michelet |
| Meunier | Occupational: miller (from Old French “moulnier”) | 57,000 | Moulinier, Munier |
| Marchand | Occupational: merchant, seller | 60,000 | Marchant |
| Mathieu | From given name Matthew (Hebrew “gift of God”) | 55,000 | Matthieu, Matheu |
| Morin | Derived from Gaulish/Latin root “Maur” (dark) or from personal name Morinus | 40,000 | Morins |
| Moulin | Occupational/place: mill; “of the mill” | 35,000 | Moulins, Molin |
| Monnier | Occupational/toponymic: monk or hill dweller (from “monnier”) | 20,000 | Monier |
| Monet | Diminutive of “Simon” or from given name; also regional formation | 8,000 | Monnay, Monnet (distinct) |
| Monnet | Diminutive form of “Mont” or given name; regional formation | 4,000 | Monnay, Monet |
| Maupassant | Toponymic/compound (likely “bad passer” or place-related) | unknown | Maupassant (fixed) |
| Martel | Nickname “hammer” (Old French martel) or occupational | unknown | Martell |
| Masson | Occupational: stonemason (from Old French “maçon”) | 30,000 | Macon, Maçon |
| Maillard | Nickname or occupational (from Old French “mail” mallet) | 12,000 | Mailyard, Maillart |
| Ménard | From personal name “Mainard”/”Meinard” (Germanic origin) | 25,000 | Menard |
| Millet | Diminutive of “mil” (millet grain) or occupational | 10,000 | Milletot |
| Maréchal | Occupational: farrier/royal officer (from Old French “mareschal”) | 15,000 | Marechal, Marchal |
| Marin | Occupational/descriptive: sailor or “of the sea” | 18,000 | Marine |
| Marion | Diminutive of Marie or patronymic from Marion | 12,000 | Maryon |
| Marais | Topographic: marsh, bog (from Old French “marais”) | unknown | Desmarais |
| Marot | Diminutive or pet form of a given name; medieval origin | unknown | Marrot |
| Merle | Nickname: blackbird (Old French “merle”) | unknown | Merles |
| Meyer | Germanic origin: steward or mayor (Alsatian/Lorrain roots) | 10,000 | Meier, Maier, Meyer |
| Muller | Occupational: miller (German “Müller”), French form in Alsace | 22,000 | Müller, Muller |
| Mahé | Breton: diminutive of Matthew or local form of “Maël” | unknown | Mahe, Mahé |
| Mauroy | Northern French surname (from Old Germanic elements) | unknown | Maurois |
| Macé | Derived from Old French given name “Mace” or “Macee” | unknown | Mace |
| Manceau | Toponymic/patronymic: from Le Mans region or “Mance” | unknown | Manceaux |
| Mazet | Dim. of “mas” (rural house) or local toponym | unknown | Mazet, Maset |
| Mazoyer | Occupational/toponymic: from “mas” small farm + -oyer | unknown | Mazoyet |
| Mazarin | Italianate origin (Mazarini/Mazzarini) but naturalized in France | unknown | Mazarini |
| Mauger | Germanic personal name (from “Madalgari” elements) | unknown | Maugier |
| Martineau | Diminutive/patronymic of Martin | unknown | Martineaux |
| Martinot | Diminutive of Martin | unknown | Martiné, Martinot |
| Martinet | Diminutive of Martin or occupational (drummer) in medieval usage | unknown | Martinette |
| Massé | From “massé” (masseuse/work with mallet) or variant of Masson | unknown | Masse |
| Maillet | Diminutive of “mail” (mallet) or occupational | unknown | Maille, Maillot |
| Marchal | Variant of Maréchal; occupational/rank-origin | unknown | Maréchal, Marchant |
| Morizot | Diminutive/regional form of Maurice or Moris | unknown | Morizot, Morisot |
| Maçon | Occupational: mason (from Old French “maçon”) | unknown | Macon, Masson |
| Montagne | Topographic: mountain or living near a hill | unknown | Montagné, Montagnon |
| Montfort | Topographic/noble: “strong mountain” or place-derived | unknown | Montforte |
| Montigny | Toponymic: from places called Montigny (“mountain estate”) | unknown | Montigni |
| Monier | Variant of Monnier; occupational or topographic | unknown | Monnier |
Descriptions
Martin
Most common French surname, widespread nationally (many notable bearers across arts and politics).
Moreau
Very frequent, especially central France; Gustave Moreau (painter) is a famous bearer.
Mercier
Common artisan/merchant surname, frequent in northern and central regions.
Michel
Established surname from a given name; appears widely (also a common given name).
Meunier
Traditional occupational name; common in rural areas near mills.
Marchand
Widespread surname; medieval occupational origin, many regional lines.
Mathieu
Patronymic surname derived from a given name; found across France.
Morin
Common in northern France; several historical families bear this surname.
Moulin
Topographic/occupational name; found nationwide, often in rural communities.
Monnier
Common in eastern and central France; variant Monier frequent.
Monet
Well-known thanks to painter Claude Monet; concentrated in Normandy/Paris records.
Monnet
Found mainly in east-central France; Jean Monnet (European statesman) is a notable bearer.
Maupassant
Rare literary surname; Guy de Maupassant (novelist) most famous bearer.
Martel
Historic name (Charles Martel); appears in medieval and noble contexts.
Masson
Frequent surname, especially in Normandy and north; derived from mason trade.
Maillard
Common in Burgundy and central France; several regional families.
Ménard
Widespread surname; appears in western and central France (variant Menard without accent).
Millet
Found across France; also notable as surname of painter Jean-François Millet.
Maréchal
Historic rank-turned-surname; appears in many regions (variants with/without accent).
Marin
Common in coastal regions; also used widely inland.
Marion
Used across France; found as both surname and medieval diminutive of Marie.
Marais
Regional surname, often from families living near marshlands.
Marot
Associated with literary figures (Clément Marot, 16th-century poet).
Merle
Often a nickname-based surname; found in rural and woodland regions.
Meyer
Common in eastern France (Alsace/Lorraine), reflects Germanic linguistic influence.
Muller
Frequent in Alsace; German-origin but long-established in French records.
Mahé
Breton surname common in Brittany; regional identity and history.
Mauroy
Notable bearer Pierre Mauroy (former French prime minister); common in Nord region.
Macé
Norman/Calvados roots; documented in medieval registers.
Manceau
Regional surname linked to Le Mans and Loire valley families.
Mazet
Common in southern France (Occitan regions); often linked to small farms/houses.
Mazoyer
South-central surname; agrarian origin.
Mazarin
Famous via Cardinal Jules Mazarin (17th-century statesman); established in French history.
Mauger
Northern and Normandy presence; medieval given-name origin.
Martineau
Common southwestern and central France; patronymic formation.
Martinot
Regional variant mostly in eastern France; diminutive surname.
Martinet
Found in various regions; often a diminutive/derivative of Martin.
Massé
Present in Normandy and Brittany; variant of occupational names.
Maillet
Regional surname common in central and northern France.
Marchal
Regional spelling variant; appears in many departments.
Morizot
Burgundy/Franco-Provençal presence; notable painter Berthe Morisot (variant).
Maçon
Literal worker surname; variants reflect spelling/diacritic differences.
Montagne
Found in mountainous regions; often locational surname.
Montfort
Historic noble name in medieval France; several medieval houses.
Montigny
Common in northern France; many communes share the name.
Monier
Eastern and central presence; variant spelling of Monnier.