This list includes 71 French last names that start with A, from “Abadie” to “Azéma”. Many come from places, occupations, or personal names and include regional accents and variants.
French last names that start with A are family names beginning with the letter A used across France and francophone regions. Names such as “Abadie” often reflect place names, clergy links, or old occupations.
Below you’ll find the table with Surname, Origin/Meaning, and Notable people.
Surname: The family name itself, shown with accents and variant spellings to help you identify forms.
Origin/Meaning: Brief etymology or origin note indicating place, occupation, or personal name roots for quick context.
Notable people: One to three notable bearers, with brief identifiers, to help you connect names to history or culture.
French last names that start with A
| Surname | Meaning / Origin | Approximate bearers in France | Notable people (1–3) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abadie | Occitan toponymic “farm, village” | unknown | Raymond Abadie (actor) | Common in southwestern France (Occitanie). Variants: Abaday, Abadieh. Frequent in Lot-et-Garonne and Pyrénées-Atlantiques; often from medieval local placenames. |
| Abergel | Jewish (Sephardic) occupational/heritage name | unknown | unknown | Sephardic Jewish name frequent among North African Jews in France. Found in Paris and Marseille communities; variant spellings rare. |
| Abgrall | Breton origin, possibly “wolf” element | unknown | unknown | A Breton surname concentrated in Finistère. Forms include Abgrall, Abgral. Typical of Breton-language patronyms. |
| Abraham | Biblical name used as surname (Hebrew origin) | unknown | Élie Abraham (historian) | Jewish and Christian families; common among French Jews and those of Alsace-Lorraine. Variants: Abrahams, Abram. |
| Abrial | From Germanic personal name Abris/Adalbrict | unknown | Marcel Abrial (engineer) | Western/central France distribution; historically Occitan and Gascon records. Variant: Abridal sometimes seen. |
| Achard | Germanic origin “edge of battle” | unknown | Guillaume Achard (historical figure) | Old Norman and Burgundian roots; recorded since medieval times. Variants: Ashard, Achardt. |
| Adam | Biblical given name used as surname | unknown | Philippe Adam (politician) | Widespread across France, medieval baptismal name turned surname. Variants: Adams (rare), Adame. |
| Adanson | Habitational or patronymic from Adan/Adanson | unknown | Michel Adanson (18th-century naturalist) | Notable as the family of botanist Michel Adanson. Mostly southwestern France; rare. |
| Adhémar | Frankish personal name (adal + mar) | unknown | Louis Adhémar (historical noble) | Noble medieval name; appears in southern nobility and literature. Variants: Adhemar, Adhemare. |
| Aillaud | Occitan origin, probably toponymic | unknown | Jean Aillaud (architect) | Concentrated in Provence and Languedoc; variants Aillaut, Ailhot in regional records. |
| Aime / Aimé | From given name Aimé (“beloved”) | unknown | — | Surname derived from medieval given name Aimé/Aime. Found in northern and central France; accents vary. |
| Alary | From Old French aler “wing” or personal name | unknown | unknown | Regional in Auvergne and Languedoc. Variants: Allary, Alarie. |
| Albert | Germanic name “noble-bright” as surname | unknown | Jean Albert (writer) | Widespread; both a common given name and surname. Variants: Alberti (Italianate), Delabert (rare). |
| Albin | From Latin Albinus “white, fair” | unknown | — | Found in southern and central France; often Occitan forms. Variants: Aubin (close form). |
| Allard | Germanic root “noble, brave” | unknown | — | Common across France; Normandy and Loire concentrations. Variants: Allart, Alard. Often patronymic or descriptive. |
| Allain | Variant of Alain (Breton personal name) | unknown | — | Frequent in Brittany and Normandy. Spelling variants Allain, Alain, Allainet. |
| Allègre | From Old French “cheerful” or toponymic | unknown | Claude Allègre (geologist, politician) | Southern France concentration; famous bearers include politician Claude Allègre. Variant: Allegre (no accent). |
| Alliot | Diminutive of Alain/Allain | unknown | Nicole Alliot-Marie (politician) | Known nationally via Nicole Alliot-Marie. Common in eastern and central France; variants Alliot, Aliot. |
| Allemand | Nickname “the German” | unknown | — | Widespread; often denotes German origin or residence. Found across France, especially border regions like Alsace. |
| Amalric / Amalrici | Germanic personal name “work-ruler” | unknown | Mathieu Amalric (actor/director) | Medieval Frankish origin; now also a modern French surname. Variants: Amalric, Amalryk. |
| Amat | Occitan/Spanish origin, “beloved” or toponymic | unknown | — | Common in southern France (Occitanie); also found in Catalan-speaking areas. Variants: Amats, Amado. |
| Ameil / Amiel | From Hebrew/Occitan roots, “God is my kinsman” | unknown | — | Frequent among Occitan and Jewish communities; Amiel common in south-east. Variants: Amiel, Amiell. |
| Amiot | Diminutive of “Amé”/”Aimé” | unknown | — | Rustic northern and central France; often appears in Norman parish registers. Variants: Amyot. |
| Amor | From Latin amor “love” or Iberian origin | unknown | — | Found in southern France and among families of Spanish origin; sometimes shortened from Amorós/Amoroso. |
| Ancel | Diminutive of “Anselm” (Germanic) | unknown | — | Medieval roots in eastern France and Alsace; variants Ancelin, Ansel. |
| Ancelin | Diminutive/patronymic of Ancel | unknown | — | Found in Bourgogne and Rhône regions; forms include Anselin. |
| Anquetil | Norman surname, from “Anquetille” | unknown | Jacques Anquetil (cyclist) | Strongly Norman; Jacques Anquetil is the famous five-time Tour de France winner. Variants rare. |
| Anselme | From given name Anselme (divine helmet) | unknown | — | Ecclesiastical and medieval usage; now a surname in eastern and alpine areas. Variants: Ansel, Anselmo. |
| Antoine | From given name Antoine (Anthony) used as surname | unknown | — | Common as a family name in Provence and Paris; often patronymic in origin. |
| Anouilh | Possibly from regional toponym or personal name | unknown | Jean Anouilh (20th-century playwright) | Known from Jean Anouilh, 20th-century dramatist. Concentrated in Normandy region. |
| Apparu | Probably from Old French apparaître/occupational | unknown | Nicolas Apparu (politician) | Notable modern bearer Nicolas Apparu. Found in northeastern France; spelling stable. |
| Arbaud | Provencal/Burgundian noble family name | unknown | — | Southern aristocratic name (d’Arbaud family). Variants include d’Arbaud, Arbaud. |
| Archambault | Germanic roots “ark/hambald” | unknown | — | Originally Norman; also common in Quebec. Variants: Archambeau, Archambault. |
| Ardoin / Ardouin | Germanic personal name, “hard friend” | unknown | — | Old Frankish origin; variants Ardoin, Ardouin found in Champagne, Île-de-France. |
| Arles? (excluded) | — | — | — | — |
| Arnaud | Germanic “eagle-power” personal name | unknown | — | Very common given name turned surname; strong presence in southwest and central France. Variants: Arnauld, Arnaud. |
| Arnauld / Arnould | Variant of Arnaud (old spelling) | unknown | Antoine Arnauld (17th-century theologian) | Famous Jansenist Arnauld family; spelled Arnauld/Arnould historically. Concentrated in Paris and Normandy. |
| Arnoux | Regional variant of Arnaud | unknown | — | Seen in northern and eastern France; spelling Arnoux/Arno is regional. |
| Arnault | Variant of Arnaud; modern business name | unknown | Bernard Arnault (businessman) | Bernard Arnault, LVMH founder, is the most famous bearer. Variant Arnault common in northern France. |
| Aron | Biblical name used as surname (Hebrew origin) | unknown | — | Jewish and Christian families; found in Alsace and Paris. Variants: Aaron, Haroun. |
| Artaud | From personal name “Artaud” of Germanic origin | unknown | Antonin Artaud (writer) | Famous via Antonin Artaud (20th century). Found in central and southern France; variant Artaud. |
| Arthur (surname) | From given name Arthur (Celtic) | unknown | — | Given name Arthur appears as surname too; Celtic origin, scattered in Brittany and Île-de-France. |
| Artus | Breton form of Arthur or “bear” root | unknown | — | Mostly Breton; seen in north-west France and Normandy. Variants Artus, Artous. |
| Astier | From “ast” root, Occitan or old French | unknown | Alexandre Astier (actor/director) | Alexandre Astier is a well-known modern bearer. Concentrated in Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes. |
| Aubin | From Latin Albinus “white” | unknown | — | Common across France; variant Aubin, Albin. Strong in north and west. |
| Aubé / Aubee | From “Aube”, river or place name | unknown | — | Found in northern France; variants Aubé, Aube. Sometimes toponymic. |
| Aubert | Germanic “bright nobility” | unknown | Jean-Louis Aubert (musician), Jacques Aubert (composer) | Widespread in France; many regional variants (Aubert, Auburt). Common in Paris region. |
| Aubertin | Diminutive of Aubert | unknown | — | Found in Burgundy and Rhône; diminutive/locative form of Aubert. |
| Aubry | Variant of Aubert / Aubrey | unknown | Martine Aubry (politician) | Martine Aubry is a prominent politician. Common in north and eastern France; variants Aubrey. |
| Aubin | (duplicate avoided) | |||
| Aubanel | Provencal surname, Occitan roots | unknown | Frédéric Mistral (not bearer) | Southern France, literary families; often Provencal. Variants: Aubanell. |
| Aubourg | Toponymic “near the fortress/town” | unknown | — | Regional in Normandy and Brittany; toponymic origin near towns or boroughs. |
| Aucouturier | Occupational “vine dresser” or similar | unknown | — | Rural surname in Burgundy/Champagne; variants Aucourtière. |
| Augé | From Old French “augé” (unknown) or personal name | unknown | — | South-west France (Lot, Dordogne) presence; spelled Augé or Auge. |
| Auger | Germanic “spear, war” or occupational | unknown | — | Common in northern France and Normandy; variants Augier, Augeron. |
| Augé / Auger duplicates avoided | ||||
| Auguste | From given name Auguste (Latin Augustus) | unknown | — | Used as surname in metropolitan France and overseas (notably Caribbean). Patronymic origin. |
| Augustin | From given name Augustin (Latin) | unknown | — | Present across France; sometimes shortened to Gustin. Patronymic surname. |
| Aumont | Toponymic “from the hill” | unknown | Michel Aumont (actor) | Michel Aumont was a noted French actor. Noble families use d’Aumont; found in central France. |
| Aupetit | “At the small (place)/petit” | unknown | — | Parisian and northern concentration; variants Lepetit, Petit. |
| Aure | From Latin “aurum” or toponymic | unknown | — | Rare; found in southern France. Variants Aurel, Auré. |
| Auriol | From place name or personal name | unknown | Vincent Auriol (President of France, 1947–1954) | Notable via President Vincent Auriol. Southern France and Marseille region presence. |
| Auroux | Possibly from “gold river” or local toponym | unknown | Jean Auroux (politician) | Jean Auroux served as Minister and MP. Central France concentration. |
| Autier | From “hautier” or occupational roots | unknown | — | Found in Loire and Rhône regions; variable medieval spellings. |
| Autran | Possibly from Occitan/Provençal personal name | unknown | Joseph Autran (19th-century poet) | Joseph Autran is a 19th-century poet. Occitan-speaking regions show higher frequency. |
| Avril | From month “April” or given name Avril | unknown | — | Widespread; used as both surname and occasionally given name. Variants Avrill. |
| Averty | Family name of Breton origin | unknown | Jean-Christophe Averty (television director) | Jean-Christophe Averty was a noted TV director. Regional in Brittany and Ile-de-France. |
| Ayrault | Likely from “eraul/eraud” roots, Gascon origin | unknown | Jean-Marc Ayrault (former Prime Minister) | Jean-Marc Ayrault served as Prime Minister (2012–2014). Common in western France (Loire-Atlantique). |
| Azéma | Occitan/Provençal surname | unknown | Jean-Pierre Azéma (historian) | Found mainly in southern France (Réunion also); variants Azema, Azem. |
| Aznavour | Armenian origin, naturalized French cultural name | unknown | Charles Aznavour (singer) | Armenian-French family well integrated; Charles Aznavour was an internationally famous singer. Established in French records. |
| Azoulay | Sephardic Jewish family name, Hebrew roots | unknown | — | Common among North African Jews in France; many variants (Azulay, Azoulli). Concentrated in Paris and Marseille. |
Descriptions
Abadie
Abergel
Abgrall
Abraham
Abrial
Achard
Adam
Adanson
Adhémar
Aillaud
Aime / Aimé
Alary
Albert
Albin
Allard
Allain
Allègre
Alliot
Allemand
Amalric / Amalrici
Amat
Ameil / Amiel
Amiot
Amor
Ancel
Ancelin
Anquetil
Anselme
Antoine
Anouilh
Apparu
Arbaud
Archambault
Ardoin / Ardouin
Arles? (excluded)
Arnaud
Arnauld / Arnould
Arnoux
Arnault
Aron
Artaud
Arthur (surname)
Artus
Astier
Aubin
Aubé / Aubee
Aubert
Aubertin
Aubry
Aubin
Aubanel
Aubourg
Aucouturier
Augé
Auger
Augé / Auger duplicates avoided
Auguste
Augustin
Aumont
Aupetit
Aure
Auriol
Auroux
Autier
Autran
Avril
Averty
Ayrault
Azéma
Aznavour
Azoulay