This list includes 94 French last names that start with C, from “Cabanel” to “Cézanne”. Many reflect occupations, places, or nicknames, and include accents or variant spellings.
French last names that start with C are family names of French or francophone origin beginning with C. They often preserve regional dialects and history, as with “Cézanne” linked to Provençal roots.
Below you’ll find the table with Surname, Meaning/Origin, and Notable people.
Surname: You will find the family name as commonly written, including accents and variant spellings, to help precise identification.
Meaning/Origin: Explains origin, etymology, or literal meaning, helping you trace geographic or occupational roots of the surname.
Notable people: Lists one to three notable bearers, giving you context and references to historical or cultural significance.
French last names that start with C
| Surname | Variant spellings | Meaning/Origin | Approx. bearers in France |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabanel | Cabanelle, Cabanèl | from Occitan “cabana” meaning hut | unknown |
| Cabaret | Cabarett, Cabare | from Old French “cabaret” meaning tavern | unknown |
| Cabanes | Cabanès, Cabané | from French “cabane” meaning hut | unknown |
| Cabrol | Cabrols, Cabrolle | Occitan origin, possibly “goat” or small goat | unknown |
| Cabot | Caboté, Cabotet | nickname, from “cabot” small dog/dog | unknown |
| Caille | Caillé, Caillier | from French “caille” meaning quail | unknown |
| Caillol | Caillolles, Cailloux | from “caillou” meaning pebble | unknown |
| Caillot | Caillaux, Caillaut | diminutive of “caillou” pebble | unknown |
| Calvet | Calvets, Calvay | from Occitan “calvet” (small bald one) | unknown |
| Camus | Camusset, Camusse | nickname “camus” meaning snub-nosed | unknown |
| Canet | Canetti, Canett | from Occitan “canet” little duck or place name | unknown |
| Capet | Capetier, Capetot | from Old French “capet”/hood or head | unknown |
| Cardin | Cardyn, Cardinot | from Latin “cardo” artichoke/ thistle or place name | unknown |
| Cardon | Cardonne, Cardonel | from “cardon” (cardoon plant) | unknown |
| Caron | Charon, Caronne | from Old French “char” wagon or Breton root | unknown |
| Carpentier | Charpentier, Carpentier | occupational: carpenter | unknown |
| Carré | Carree, Carrey | from Old French “carré” square, nickname | unknown |
| Cartier | Cartié, Cartière | occupational: cart maker or driver | unknown |
| Carrière | Carrier, Carrieres | occupational: quarry worker or carriero | unknown |
| Casabona | Casabona, Casabone | from Catalan/Italian meaning “big house” | unknown |
| Casanova | Cassanova, Casanove | Italian origin “new house”, present in France | unknown |
| Cassat | Cassatt, Cassate | from Occitan “cassat” broken or hollow | unknown |
| Cassard | Cassart, Cassardel | possibly from Old French “cass-” break | unknown |
| Cassin | Cassinie, Cassinot | from Latin “cassinus” or place name | unknown |
| Casson | Cassonne, Cassonet | diminutive of “cass” root | unknown |
| Castel | Castell, Castells | from Latin “castellum” meaning castle | unknown |
| Castelnau | Castelnaud, Castelnaux | from “castel” + “nau” new castle | unknown |
| Cavaillé | Cavaillès, Cavaillé-Coll | from Occitan “caval” relating to horse | unknown |
| Cazeneuve | Cazenave, Cazenove | from “cazal”/”casa” meaning house | unknown |
| Cézanne | Cezanne, Cézanne | possibly from Occitan personal name | unknown |
| Chabert | Chabertot, Chabertin | from Old French “chabert” (unknown nickname) | unknown |
| Chabrol | Chabrolle, Chabrolle | regional variant, possibly “chabre” goat | unknown |
| Chaix | Chais, Chaixet | from “chai” wine cellar | unknown |
| Chambon | Chambonne, Chambonet | from “chambon” place name or field | unknown |
| Chamfort | Chamforte, Chamford | from Old French “champ fort” strong field | unknown |
| Champollion | Champollionne | from “champ” + “pollion” small field | unknown |
| Champlain | de Champlain | locational from place Champlain | unknown |
| Chancel | Chancelle, Chancell | occupational: chancellor or official | unknown |
| Chappe | Chappé, Chappet | from “chappe” hood or signalling device | unknown |
| Chapon | Chaponnet, Chaponet | from “chapon” capon (castrated rooster) | unknown |
| Charbonnier | Charbonneau, Charbonel | occupational: charcoal burner | unknown |
| Charbonneau | Charbonnier, Charbonnaux | from “charbon” charcoal worker | unknown |
| Charlet | Charlette, Charlès | diminutive of Charles or locational | unknown |
| Charpentier | Carpentier, Charpentier | occupational: carpenter | unknown |
| Charrier | Charrié, Charrières | from “charrier” to cart or driver | unknown |
| Chartier | Chartié, Chartiaux | occupational: steward or record-keeper | unknown |
| Chastel | Chastell, Chastelle | from Latin “castellum” small castle | unknown |
| Châtelain | Chatelain, Châtelain | from Old French “châtelain” castle steward | unknown |
| Châtillon | Chatillon, Châtillon | from place name Châtillon (many communes) | unknown |
| Chauvet | Chauvett, Chauve | from “chauve” bald | unknown |
| Chauvin | Chauvain, Chauvineau | from “chauvin” (chauvinistic) nickname | unknown |
| Chemin | Cheminot, Chemina | from French “chemin” way/road | unknown |
| Chevalier | Chevallier, Chevalier | occupational/noble: knight or horseman | unknown |
| Chevallier | Chevalier, Chevaly | variant of Chevalier (knight) | unknown |
| Chevreul | Chevreuil, Chevrele | from “chevreuil” roe deer | unknown |
| Claudel | Claudelle, Claudell | from personal name Claude | unknown |
| Clément | Clement, Clémence | from Latin “clemens” merciful, given name | unknown |
| Cloutier | Cloutieré, Clouty | occupational: nailer or smith (clou = nail) | unknown |
| Cocteau | Cocteaux, Coctet | from old French family name | unknown |
| Cognet | Cogné, Cognot | from “cogné” (knock) or regional root | unknown |
| Colas | Colasse, Colay | from “Nicolas” diminutive or “colas” coal seller | unknown |
| Colbert | Colber, Colberte | from “col” neck or place name | unknown |
| Colin | Collin, Coline | diminutive of Nicolas or from “colin” fish | unknown |
| Collin | Colline, Collinot | diminutive of “col” or from “colline” hill | unknown |
| Collet | Collette, Colle | diminutive of “col” or “cole” hill | unknown |
| Colomb | Colombe, Colombet | from “colombe” dove or place name | unknown |
| Colombier | Colombiers, Colombié | from “colombier” dovecote | unknown |
| Colson | Colsson, Colssonet | patronymic from Colas/Colin | unknown |
| Combes | Combe, Combet | from “combe” valley | unknown |
| Comte | Contè, Comté | from title “count” or occupational steward | unknown |
| Conchon | Conchot, Conche | from Old French “conche” shell or hollow | unknown |
| Constantin | Constantine, Constant | from Latin “constans” steadfast | unknown |
| Coste | Costes, Côté | from Occitan “costa” slope | unknown |
| Costes | Coste, Costet | variant of Coste | unknown |
| Costa | Costas, Costeau | from Romance “costa” coast or slope | unknown |
| Coster | Costier, Costeau | occupational: maker of costumes or coast-related | unknown |
| Couturier | Couturier(e), Couturière | occupational: tailor | unknown |
| Coutin | Coutinot, Coutine | diminutive of “cout” or local root | unknown |
| Coudert | Couder, Couderet | from “coudre” to sew or variant | unknown |
| Coudray | Coudraya, Coudraye | from “coudraie” hazel grove | unknown |
| Cousteau | Cousteaux, Cousteauz | from Old French “cousteau” knife maker | unknown |
| Courbet | Courbe, Courbette | from “courbe” curve or place name | unknown |
| Courtois | Curtis, Courtoye | from Old French “curteis” courteous | unknown |
| Courtin | Courtine, Courtinet | from “court” short or yard | unknown |
| Couturier | see above | occupational: tailor | unknown |
| Cresson | Cressonnier, Cressonel | from “cresson” watercress | unknown |
| Crémieux | Cremieux, Cremieu | possibly from place name Crémieux | unknown |
| Crépin | Crepin, Crépy | from “Crépínus” or occupation saint Crispin | unknown |
| Crespin | Crespín, Crespeau | variant of Crépin or from “crespe” curled | unknown |
| Crouzet | Crouzetti, Crouzette | diminutive of “crouz” (cross) or local root | unknown |
| Cugnot | Cugnol, Cugnout | uncertain; old regional root | unknown |
| Curie | Cury, Curiey | from Polish/French origin meaning “curie” family | unknown |
| Cutay | Cutai, Cutaye | regional Occitan surname | unknown |
Descriptions
Cabanel
Painter Alexandre Cabanel (painter) notable; southern French Occitan origin, often regional artisan families.
Cabaret
Occupational or locational origin (innkeeper). Famous bearers include actor Francis Cabrel (singer) influences in cultural history.
Cabanes
Found in southern France; often linked to rural families. Notable: Emmanuel Cabanes (historian).
Cabrol
Breton/Occitan roots; seen in southern France. Notable bearers: Éric Cabrol (journalist).
Cabot
Nickname-derived surname; common in Normandy. Notable: Jean Cabot (explorer, historical figure).
Caille
Nickname for a small or lively person. Notable: Marcelle Caillé (artist).
Caillol
Provencal origin; sometimes occupational (stonework). Notable: Jean-Baptiste Caillol (politician).
Caillot
Regional variant; seen in northern and central France. Notable: Joseph Caillot (artist).
Calvet
Southern French surname. Notable: Jean Calvet (writer).
Camus
Famous bearer: Albert Camus (writer). Common in France, literary associations.
Canet
Found in southern France and Catalonia. Notable: Jean Canet (politician).
Capet
Historic royal family name (Hugh Capet). Now rare as common surname; strong historical resonance.
Cardin
Bearers include Pierre Cardin (fashion designer). Widely known internationally.
Cardon
Agricultural or nickname origin. Notable: Jean Cardon (scholar).
Caron
Very common in France and Canada. Notables: Jean-Baptiste Caron (historian).
Carpentier
Historic occupational surname. Notables: Lucien Carpentier (musician).
Carré
Nickname for a square-faced person or inhabitant of a square. Notable: Gérard Carré (artist).
Cartier
Famous: Jacques Cartier (explorer), Francis Cartier (jeweller). Strong historic presence.
Carrière
Related to quarrying or transport. Notable: Émile Carrière (scientist).
Casabona
Found in southern France and Corsica. Notable regional figures.
Casanova
Famously Giacomo Casanova (adventurer); present among francophone families.
Cassat
Regional surname in southwest France. Notable bearers in local history.
Cassard
Naval associations: Jacques Cassard (naval officer). Maritime history relevance.
Cassin
Notable: Riccardo Cassin (climber, Italian but surname in France). Alpine connections.
Casson
Artisanal and local family name. Notable: Paul Casson (artisan).
Castel
Locational surname for castle dwellers. Notable: Claude Castel (historian).
Castelnau
Occitan nobility and landed families. Historic aristocratic associations.
Cavaillé
Famous: Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (organ builder). Strong musical heritage.
Cazeneuve
Notable: Bernard Cazeneuve (former French Prime Minister). Southwestern roots.
Cézanne
Famous: Paul Cézanne (painter). Strong art-historical resonance.
Chabert
Rural and mountainous regions. Notable: Albert Chabert (public figure).
Chabrol
Famous: Claude Chabrol (film director). Linked to cinema.
Chaix
Wine-producing region surname. Notable: Jean Chaix (winemaker).
Chambon
Common rural surname. Notable: Georges Chambon (politician).
Chamfort
Writer and moralist Nicolas Chamfort notable; Enlightenment ties.
Champollion
Jean-François Champollion (Egyptologist) renowned for hieroglyph decipherment.
Champlain
Samuel de Champlain (explorer) founder of Quebec; strong colonial history.
Chancel
Administrative or clerical origins. Notable: Léon Chancel (writer).
Chappe
Claude Chappe (inventor of semaphore telegraph). Technological history.
Chapon
Nickname or occupational origin. Notables in regional culture.
Charbonnier
Traditional rural occupation. Notable: Michel Charbonnier (academic).
Charbonneau
Common in Canada and France. Early settlers and rural families.
Charlet
Regional family name. Notable: René Charlet (artist).
Charpentier
Historic craft surname. Notable: Marc-Antoine Charpentier (composer).
Charrier
Associated with transport and trade. Notable: Étienne Charrier (politician).
Chartier
Medieval occupational name. Notable: Jean Chartier (historian).
Chastel
Locational/noble associations. Notable: Lucien Chastel (writer).
Châtelain
Historical administrative title; occasionally noble families carry it.
Châtillon
Multiple regional families and noble branches.
Chauvet
Nickname origin. Notable: Emmanuel Chauvet (historian), Chauvet Cave discovery ties.
Chauvin
Famous concept “chauvinism” derived from Nicolas Chauvin (legendary). Cultural term origin.
Chemin
Locational or occupational (road worker). Notable: Paul Chemin (engineer).
Chevalier
Historic and honorific name. Notable: François Chevalier (historian).
Chevallier
See Chevalier; some regional spellings differ.
Chevreul
Notable: Michel Eugène Chevreul (chemist). Scientific legacy.
Claudel
Famous: Paul Claudel (poet/diplomat). Literary prominence.
Clément
Common surname and given name. Notable: Henri Clément (politician).
Cloutier
Common in Québec and France. Notables in various fields.
Cocteau
Famous: Jean Cocteau (poet, filmmaker). Strong cultural associations.
Cognet
Central France presence. Notable: Lucien Cognet (scholar).
Colas
Common medieval diminutive. Notable: Jean Colas (athlete).
Colbert
Famous: Jean-Baptiste Colbert (minister under Louis XIV). Strong historical importance.
Colin
Very common surname. Notables: Yves Colin (artist).
Collin
Widespread in France. Notable: Jean Collin (politician).
Collet
Regional variants common. Notable: Pierre Collet (scientist).
Colomb
Historic explorer name (Christophe Colomb = Columbus in French). Cultural resonance.
Colombier
Locational or occupational (dovecote keeper). Notable local figures.
Colson
Northern and Belgian ties. Notable: Jean Colson (politician).
Combes
Topographic surname for valley dwellers. Notable: Édouard Combes (statesman).
Comte
Noble title used as surname. Notable: Pierre Comte (politician).
Conchon
Regional surname with maritime ties. Notable: Bruno Conchon (writer).
Constantin
Used as both surname and given name. Notable: Henri Constantin (artist).
Coste
Southern French surname. Notable: Émile Coste (fencer).
Costes
See Coste; regional distributions vary. Famous: Dieudonné Costes (aviator).
Costa
Mediterranean origin; present in France especially Corsica and southern regions.
Coster
Seen in northern France and Belgium; notable families.
Couturier
Famous profession-derived name. Notables: Jeanne Couturier (designer).
Coutin
Regional surname. Notable: François Coutin (artist).
Coudert
Surname with craft or locational roots. Notable: André Coudert (writer).
Coudray
Topographic, rural families. Notable: Maurice Coudray (historian).
Cousteau
Famous: Jacques Cousteau (oceanographer). Strong maritime legacy.
Courbet
Famous: Gustave Courbet (painter), realist movement figure.
Courtois
Nickname denoting politeness. Notable: Marcel Courtois (academic).
Courtin
Locational or descriptive. Notable: Philippe Courtin (musician).
Couturier
(Duplicate handled for prominence) Notables across fashion and craft.
Cresson
Nickname or occupational; notable in regional surnames.
Crémieux
Notable: Adolphe Crémieux (statesman). Jewish-French historical prominence.
Crépin
Associated with shoemaking (Saint Crispin). Notable: René Crépin (historian).
Crespin
Northern French families; cultural bearers.
Crouzet
Regional surname; industrial and artisanal bearers.
Cugnot
Notable: Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot (inventor of steam vehicle). Mechanical history.
Curie
Famous: Marie Curie, Pierre Curie (scientists). Major scientific legacy.
Cutay
Found in southern France; local families and cultural figures.