This list includes 31 French last names that start with L, from “Lacroix” to “Lévy”. They span occupational, locational, and patronymic traditions and help with genealogy, writing, and cultural research.
French last names that start with L are family names beginning with the letter L used across France and francophone regions. For example, Lévy often indicates Jewish heritage, while Lacroix is a widespread locational or symbolic surname.
Below you’ll find the table with Surname, Meaning/Origin, Variants, and Notable people.
Surname: This column lists the family name as it commonly appears, including accents and standard French spelling so you can find the exact form.
Meaning/Origin: This column gives a concise origin or meaning, helping you understand the name’s linguistic roots and likely geographic source.
Variants: This column shows common spelling variants and diacritic differences so you can match records across time and regions.
Notable people: This column names one to three notable bearers to help you recognize historical or cultural figures associated with the surname.
French last names that start with L
| Surname | Meaning | Approx. frequency or rank | Notable people (1–3) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lacroix | “the cross” (toponymic, near a cross) | unknown | Christian Lacroix (b.1951), fashion designer | Widespread in France, often from a village landmark “la croix.” Common variants: La Croix, Lacroix. Concentrated in northern and central France. |
| Lafayette | “small beech wood” (from Old French fayette) | unknown | Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), general | Noble-origin name tied to place names. Best known from the marquis de Lafayette. Variants: La Fayette. Found in southwest France. |
| Lafleur | “the flower” (nickname) | unknown | Guy Lafleur (1951–2022), ice-hockey player | Popular in Quebec and France, often as Lafleur or LaFleur. Nickname-origin implying charm or appearance. Strong presence in francophone Canada. |
| Lafontaine | “the fountain” (toponymic) | unknown | Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695), fabulist and poet | Derived from locations near a spring or well. Common variants: La Fontaine, Lafontaine. Associated with central and northern France. |
| Lagrange | “the barn/large farm” (occupational/toponymic) | unknown | Joseph-Louis Lagrange (1736–1813), mathematician | From Old French “la grange,” meaning farm buildings. Frequent in southwest France. Variants: La Grange, Lagrange. |
| Lamartine | “from the little marsh” (toponymic) | unknown | Alphonse de Lamartine (1790–1869), poet and politician | Aristocratic and literary associations due to Alphonse de Lamartine. Variants rare. Mainly eastern France origins. |
| Laplace | “the place/flat spot” (toponymic) | unknown | Pierre-Simon Laplace (1749–1827), mathematician and astronomer | Often from small place names. Famous through Pierre-Simon Laplace. Variants: La Place, Laplace. |
| Lavoisier | “porter of oats” or occupational (debated) | unknown | Antoine Lavoisier (1743–1794), chemist | Famous scientific surname tied to the chemist Lavoisier. Likely occupational or toponymic roots; rare as a family name. |
| Laurent | “from Laurent/Latin laurus (laurel)” (patronymic) | unknown | Lucien Laurent (1907–2005), footballer (first World Cup scorer) | Very common French surname from the given name Laurent. Widespread across France. Variants: Laurens, de Laurent. |
| Leblanc | “the white” (nickname, hair or complexion) | unknown | Maurice Leblanc (1864–1941), writer (Arsène Lupin) | Extremely common in France and Quebec. Variants: Le Blanc, Leblanc. Often northern France and francophone Canada. |
| Lebrun | “the brown” (nickname, hair or complexion) | unknown | Albert Lebrun (1871–1950), President of France (1932–1940) | Variant of Le Brun/LeBrun, widespread in France. Historically associated with artists and officials. Variants: Le Brun, Lebrun. |
| Leclerc | “the clerk/scribe” (occupational) | unknown | Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque (1902–1947), general, Charles Leclerc (b.1997), racing driver | Very common; clerical/administrative occupational origin. Variants: Le Clerc, LeClerc. Found throughout France and francophone regions. |
| Lefebvre | “the smith” (occupational) | unknown | Jules Lefebvre (1836–1911), painter | One of France’s most frequent surnames, especially northern France (Picardy/Nord). Variants: Lefèvre, Lefebvre, Le Febvre. |
| Lefèvre | “the smith” (old spelling of Lefebvre) | unknown | René Lefèvre (1898–1991), actor | Variant of Lefebvre; common in northern France and Belgium. Spelling reflects regional orthography. Variants: Lefèvre, Lefebvre. |
| Legendre | “of the border/legenda” (uncertain; likely toponymic) | unknown | Adrien-Marie Legendre (1752–1833), mathematician | Well-known through the mathematician Legendre. Found in western and central France. Variants: Le Gendre, Legendre. |
| Le Goff | “the smith” (Breton: goff) | unknown | Jacques Le Goff (1924–2014), medieval historian | Breton-origin surname meaning “the smith.” Often written Le Goff or LeGoff. Common in Brittany. |
| Lejeune | “the young” (nickname) | unknown | Théodore Lejeune? (lesser-known), common family name | Means “the young” or junior; widely used in Normandy and northern France. Variants: Le Jeune, Lejeune. |
| Lemaître | “the master” or “the mayor” (Old French maître) | unknown | Georges Lemaître (1894–1966), priest and cosmologist | Famous due to Georges Lemaître. Variants: Lemaître, Lemaitre. Traditionally from northern France and Belgium. |
| Lemaire | “the mayor” (occupational) | unknown | Jacques Lemaire (b.1945), Canadian hockey player and coach | Common in France and French Canada; variant spellings include Lemaire, LeMaire. Often northern French origins. |
| Lemoine | “the monk” or “the miller” (contextual; often “monk”) | unknown | Émile Lemoine (1840–1912), mathematician | Historically occupational or nickname-based. Variants: Lemoine, Lemoine. Found widely, especially northern France. |
| Lenoir | “the black/dark” (nickname) | unknown | Jean Lenoir (1891–1976), composer | Means “the black,” referring to hair or complexion. Variants: Le Noir, Lenoir. Common in northwestern France. |
| Leroy | “the king” (from Old French ‘roi’, honorific or nickname) | unknown | Plusieurs notables across arts and politics | Common especially in northern France (Normandy/Picardy). Variants: Le Roy, Leroy. Often originally a nickname or honorific. |
| Leroux | “the red” (nickname for red hair) | unknown | Gaston Leroux (1868–1927), novelist | Means “the red(-haired) one.” Frequent in Normandy and Brittany. Variants: Le Roux, Leroux. |
| Lesage | “the wise” or from ‘sage’ (nickname) | unknown | Alain-René Lesage (1668–1747), novelist and playwright | Old nickname for a wise person; common in western France. Variants: Le Sage, Lesage. |
| Lescure | “from the sheltered place” (toponymic) | unknown | Pierre Lescure (b.1945), journalist and media executive | Toponymic surname linked to Occitan or Gascon regions. Variants: Lescure, de Lescure. Strong in southwest France. |
| Lévesque | “the bishop” (from Old French évêque) | unknown | René Lévesque (1922–1987), Premier of Québec | Very common in Quebec and Acadian communities; French variant Lévesque/Levesque derived from an ecclesiastical office. |
| Lévy | “Levite” (Hebrew origin, Jewish surname) | unknown | Paul Lévy (1886–1971), mathematician | Jewish surname long present in France. Variants: Lévy, Levy. Concentrated historically in Alsace, Paris, and Jewish communities. |
| Loiseau | “the bird” (nickname) | unknown | Dominique Loiseau (1949–2013), watchmaker | Playful nickname-turned-surname. Variants: L’oiseau, Loiseau. Found across France, notably in Normandy. |
| Lombard | “from Lombardy” (ethnic/toponymic) | unknown | Pierre Lombard (c.1096–1160), medieval theologian (Peter Lombard) | Originally denoted origin from Lombardy (Italy). Widespread medieval and modern usage in France. Variants: Lombard, Lombardi. |
| Lucas | “from Lucania” or from given name Lucas (patronymic) | unknown | Édouard Lucas (1842–1891), mathematician | From the personal name Lucas; common across France. Variants: Lukas, Lucas. Present in all francophone areas. |
| Lussier | “from place of willows” (toponymic) | unknown | Several Canadian and French bearers (common in Quebec) | Strongly represented in Quebec and Acadia; variants include Lussier, Loussier. Often of Normandy origin. |
Descriptions
Lacroix
Lafayette
Lafleur
Lafontaine
Lagrange
Lamartine
Laplace
Lavoisier
Laurent
Leblanc
Lebrun
Leclerc
Lefebvre
Lefèvre
Legendre
Le Goff
Lejeune
Lemaître
Lemaire
Lemoine
Lenoir
Leroy
Leroux
Lesage
Lescure
Lévesque
Lévy
Loiseau
Lombard
Lucas
Lussier