This list includes 34 French last names that start with O, from “Oberlin” to “Ozon”. Many derive from regional place names, occupations, or descriptive nicknames across francophone areas.
French last names that start with O are family names found in France and francophone regions. They often reflect places, trades, or nicknames, and include notable names such as “Oberlin”.
Below you’ll find the table with Surname, Origin/Meaning, and Notable people.
Surname: Shows the last name in standard French orthography, helping you locate specific families or variants quickly.
Origin/Meaning: Gives a concise origin or meaning, so you understand historical context and probable geographic roots.
Notable people: Lists one to three notable bearers, allowing you to connect surnames with historical figures or contemporary personalities.
French last names that start with O
| Surname | Meaning/Origin | Region & Frequency | Variant spellings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obert | From Germanic personal name “Odbert”/”Otbert” | Normandy,Picardy; Rare | Ober,Opbert |
| Oberlé | Alsatian form of Germanic surname “Ober” | Alsace; Rare | Oberle,Öberlé |
| Oberlin | Toponymic/Alsatian family name | Alsace; Uncommon | Oberlyn,Oblerin |
| Oger | From Germanic “Audgar”/”Ogier” personal name | Normandy,Île-de-France; Uncommon | Auger,Ogeron |
| Ogée | Possibly from medieval personal name “Oge”/toponymic | Brittany,Loire; Rare | Ogee,Ogéée |
| Ogier | From Old Germanic “Odgar”/”Othgar” (wealth-spear) | Normandy; Uncommon | Augier,Ogieret |
| Oisel | From Old French “oisel” (bird, small bird) | Normandy,Picardy; Rare | Oisellet,Oisil |
| Oiselet | Diminutive of “Oisel” (little bird) | Normandy; Very rare | Oiselet,Oiselette |
| Ollier | From Latin “ollarius” (maker of pots) or variant of Olivier | Auvergne,Brittany; Uncommon | Oulier,Olier |
| Ollivier | Breton form of Olivier (olive tree / personal name) | Brittany; Common regionally | Olivier,Ollivier |
| Olivier | From Latin “oliva” or given name Olivier (olive tree) | Nationwide; Common | Olivier,Olivier fils |
| Onfray | From Old Germanic “Humfrid/Onfroi” (peaceful giant) | Normandy,Brittany; Rare | Onfroi,Onfray |
| Opinel | Likely toponymic/family name from Savoie area | Savoie,Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes; Rare | Opinel |
| Orel | From Latin “Aurel-” or Occitan “Aurel” (golden/pertaining to Aurelius) | South France,Occitanie; Rare | Aurél,Orelle |
| Orain | Possibly from Occitan toponym or Old French personal name | Burgundy,Auvergne; Rare | Orain,Orainet |
| Orieux | Likely toponymic or Occitan patronymic | Occitanie,Auvergne; Rare | Oriéux,Orieux |
| Orliac | Toponymic from village name “Orliac” (Occitan toponym) | Auvergne,Limousin; Rare | Orliac,Orliacq |
| Orlhac | Occitan toponymic (Orlhac village/name) | Auvergne,Occitanie; Rare | Orlhac,Orlihac |
| Ornano | Corsican noble family name | Corsica; Uncommon | d’Ornano,Ornano |
| Oresme | From medieval toponym or occupational root; famous medieval name | Normandy; Very rare | Oresme |
| Oselin | Diminutive of “Osel”/Old French bird name | Normandy,Île-de-France; Rare | Oselin,Ozelin |
| Osselin | Variant of Oselin; from Germanic “Os-” or bird-related nickname | Normandy,Brittany; Rare | Osselin,Oselin |
| Oudin | From Old Germanic “Audwin” (wealth-friend) | Nationwide; Uncommon | Oudin,Audin |
| Oudinot | Diminutive/augmented form of Oudin | Île-de-France,Champagne; Rare but notable | Oudinot |
| Oudart | From Germanic “Odo/Hard” personal names (Ot- elements) | Northern France; Rare | Oudard,Oudart |
| Oudot | Variant of Oudart/Oudard | Champagne,Burgundy; Rare | Oudot,Oudart |
| Oudet | Diminutive or regional variant of Oudin/Oudot | Normandy,Loire; Rare | Oudet,Audet |
| Ouellet | From Old French diminutive “Ouel” (Norman origins); major in Quebec | Quebec (Canada),Normandy origin; Common in Quebec | Ouellet,Ouellette |
| Ousset | Toponymic or Occitan family name | Auvergne,Limousin; Uncommon | Ousset,Usset |
| Oursel | From Old French “ours” (bear) with diminutive suffix | -Normandy,Picardy; Rare | Oursel,Ourcel |
| Oury | From Germanic “Auri” or patronymic from given name “Ouri” | Nationwide; Uncommon | Oury,Oury |
| Ouvrard | From Old French “ouvrer/ouvrier” (worker) or occupational root | Brittany,Normandy; Uncommon | Ouvrard,Ouvrardt |
| Ozanne | Possibly from Germanic “Os-” or place name; maritime associations | Brittany,Normandy; Rare | Ozanne,Ozannet |
| Ozon | From Occitan/Latin root meaning “ash tree” or variant of Oson | Nationwide; Uncommon | Ozon |
Descriptions
Obert
Old Germanic name surviving in northern France; recorded since Middle Ages as family name. Found in legal records and church registers; occasional military and civic figures.
Oberlé
Alsatian-German surname common in Haut-Rhin; notable in arts and journalism. Notable bearer: Jean Oberlé (illustrator). Reflects Alsace’s bilingual heritage.
Oberlin
Well-known Alsatian pastor Jean-Frédéric Oberlin (1740–1826). Name tied to social reform and education in the Ban de la Roche region.
Oger
Medieval personal name turned surname; recorded in feudal and notarial records. Present in northern France and colonial registers.
Ogée
Old surname with regional clusters in west France; appears in genealogical sources and local histories.
Ogier
Historic Norman surname; appears in medieval chronicles. Bearers include jurists and local officials.
Oisel
Nickname or occupational origin (bird-catcher); recorded since Middle Ages in northern registers.
Oiselet
Regional surname derived from bird-related nickname; found in parish registers and local genealogies.
Ollier
Occupational or patronymic surname; notable in provincial civil records; sometimes conflated with Olivier family lines.
Ollivier
Strongly Breton surname; variant of Olivier. Present in Brittany and francophone diaspora (Canada).
Olivier
One of France’s classic surnames, derived from medieval given name. Bearers worldwide; notable: Laurence Olivier (actor, English), though name is widely French.
Onfray
Norman patronymic preserving medieval given name. Notable bearer: philosopher Michel Onfray. Present in modern records.
Opinel
Famous as the name of the knife-making family (founder Joseph Opinel, 1890s). Now a recognized French industrial and family brand.
Orel
Occitan or Latin-root surname meaning “golden”/related to Aurelius; appears in southern registers and civil lists.
Orain
Regional surname with Occitan/Burgundian presence; recorded in parish and notarial archives.
Orieux
Southern French surname of Occitan origin; appears locally in records and family histories.
Orliac
Typical south-central French toponymic surname; families often trace to small hamlets named Orliac.
Orlhac
Highland Occitan surname; recorded in regional censuses and parish books; shows variant spellings across documents.
Ornano
Noted Corsican family with military and political figures. Ties to Corsican history and Napoleonic era figures.
Oresme
Surname of medieval scholar Nicolas Oresme (1320–1382), notable mathematician and economist. Documented in medieval Normandy.
Oselin
Medieval-derived surname appearing in northern French registers; sometimes spelled Osselin or Oselin in early documents.
Osselin
Early medieval surname with appearances in feudal and parish records; preserved in some regional lineages.
Oudin
Widespread medieval patronymic; recorded among merchants and clergy. Appears in civil and notarial archives.
Oudinot
Famous military family: Marshal Nicolas-Charles Oudinot (1767–1847), Napoleonic marshal and noble titleholder.
Oudart
Ancient Norman/Champagne surname, appears in seigneurial and parish records; regional variants common.
Oudot
Regional variant found in east and north-central France; present in notarial documents and local histories.
Oudet
Small regional surname with medieval roots; recorded in parish registers and emigration lists.
Ouellet
Classic French-Canadian surname deriving from French emigrants. Very common in Quebec and Acadian records; many notable Québécois bearers.
Ousset
Central France surname, documented in rural parish registers; occupational and toponymic origins debated by onomasts.
Oursel
Nickname meaning “little bear”; medieval origins and recorded in northern archival sources.
Oury
Well-attested French surname; notable bearers include film director Gérard Oury. Present in civil and cultural registers.
Ouvrard
Historic surname linked to craftsmen and merchants. Notable bearer: entertainer Gaston Ouvrard. Found in 17th–19th-century records.
Ozanne
Surname with Breton/Norman presence; notable naval artist Pierre Ozanne (1737–1813). Appears in naval and parish records.
Ozon
Modern French surname known from film director François Ozon. Present in contemporary civil registers and cultural circles.