This list includes 12 French last names that start with Y, from “Yacoub” to “Yzaguirre”. These surnames are useful for genealogy, local history, writing, and cultural research across francophone regions.

French last names that start with Y are family names beginning with the letter Y and often reflect diverse origins. For example, “Yacoub” shows Levantine roots while “Yzaguirre” points to southwestern Basque influences.

Below you’ll find the table with Surname, Meaning/Origin, Notable people, and Variants.

Surname: The family name itself, listed alphabetically so you can easily locate specific entries quickly.

Meaning/Origin: A concise one-line origin or meaning to help you understand the name’s linguistic or geographic background.

Notable people: One to three well-known bearers provide cultural or historical context you can use in research.

Variants: Common alternate spellings, accents, or regional forms that help you track family branches and records.

French last names that start with Y

SurnameMeaningVariantsNotable bearers
YvertFrom Germanic Ivo, ‘yew’ or personal name IvoIvo, IvertYvert family (stamp publishers, France)
YbarnégarayBasque toponym, valley/house referenceYbarnegaray, YbarnegarrayJean Ybarnégaray (politician, France)
YadeLikely West African origin (Mandé/Fon)Yadi, YadehRoselyne Yade (politician, France)
YacoubArabic patronymic from Jacob (Ya’qub)Yaqoub, Yacub, Yaqoub
YacoubiMaghrebi patronymic, ‘son of Yacoub’Yacubi, Yacoubie
YagoubiArabic origin, Maghrébin regional variantYagubi, Yagouby
YaoAkan (Ivory Coast) personal name used as surnameYaoh
YattaraGuinean/Malian originYatara, Yattarah
YrigoyenBasque toponymic, ‘straight hill’ variantIrigoyen, IrigoyénHipólito Yrigoyen (president, Argentina)
YbarraBasque toponym, ‘grove’ or ‘valley’Ibarra, Ybarre
YzaguirreBasque variant (Izaguirre) ‘place of yews’Izaguirre, Izaguirre, Yzaguirre
YelleLikely Breton or regional variant adopted in CanadaYellé

Descriptions

Yvert
Northern French surname tied to the Yvert et Tellier stamp-publishing family; uncommon but well attested in French registries.
Ybarnégaray
Basque-origin name from Labourd; notable in 20th-century French politics and present in Basque civil records.
Yade
Surname of African origin found in France among diaspora communities and public life; increasingly recorded in modern civil lists.
Yacoub
Common Maghrebi and Levantine surname in France due to migration; derived from the biblical name Jacob.
Yacoubi
Widespread in North African communities in France; patronymic form indicating descent from Ya’qub; frequent in civil registers.
Yagoubi
Another Maghrebi surname well attested in French records, with multiple spellings across documents and sports rosters.
Yao
Common West African surname among Ivorian diaspora in France; frequent in francophone African communities and athletics.
Yattara
Guinean surname often seen in French football and immigrant communities; appears regularly in French sports and civil records.
Yrigoyen
Basque surname present in French and Spanish Basque areas; internationally known through Argentine history; attested in French Basque registries.
Ybarra
Basque-origin name found in French Basque provinces and across the border; multiple spellings reflect regional orthographies.
Yzaguirre
Used by Basque families on both sides of the Pyrenees; variant spellings occur in French and Spanish records.
Yelle
Surname recorded in francophone Canada and occasionally in France; rare in metropolitan France but present in cultural and genealogical sources.
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