This list includes 89 French last names that start with P, ranging from “Page” to “Pérignon”. Many entries are occupational, locational, or patronymic surnames common across France and francophone regions. They are useful for genealogy, historical research, character naming, and cultural studies.
French last names that start with P are family names beginning with the letter P in France and francophone regions. They include famous names like “Pérignon”, linked to the monk often associated with champagne development.
Below you’ll find the table with Surname, Meaning/Origin, Notable people, and Variants.
Surname: The family name as presented; use it to find entries or match it in records.
Meaning/Origin: Brief origin or meaning of the name, helping you understand linguistic or geographic roots.
Notable people: A short list of well-known individuals who bear the name, useful for cultural or historical context.
Variants: Common alternate spellings and accented forms, so you can spot related records and regional differences.
French last names that start with P
| Surname | Frequency in France | Meaning / Origin | Notable people |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petit | Unknown | small (nickname) | Philippe Petit — high-wire artist (b.1949) |
| Picard | Unknown | from Picardy (regional) | Jean Picard — astronomer (1620–1682); Émile Picard — mathematician (1856–1941) |
| Poirier | Unknown | pear tree (toponymic/occupational) | Dominique Poirier — Canadian journalist |
| Poisson | Unknown | fish (nickname/occupational) | Siméon Denis Poisson — mathematician (1781–1840) |
| Pons | Unknown | bridge (from Latin ‘pons’) | Jean-Louis Pons — astronomer (1761–1831) |
| Perrin | Unknown | Diminutive of Pierre (“little Pierre”) | Jean Perrin — physicist (1870–1942) |
| Perrier | Unknown | Diminutive of Pierre / occupational | |
| Pelletier | Unknown | Diminutive or occupational form | Pierre-Joseph Pelletier — chemist (1788–1842) |
| Proust | Unknown | From Germanic personal name (uncertain) | Marcel Proust — writer (1871–1922) |
| Pagnol | Unknown | Occitan diminutive (probably of Paganus) | Marcel Pagnol — writer, filmmaker (1895–1974) |
| Poincaré | Unknown | Family name of uncertain origin | Henri Poincaré — mathematician (1854–1912) |
| Pascal | Unknown | born at Easter (from Latin paschalis) | Blaise Pascal — mathematician, philosopher (1623–1662) |
| Parmentier | Unknown | Occupational: steward / kitchen official | Antoine-Augustin Parmentier — agronomist (1737–1813) |
| Plessis | Unknown | From ‘plessis’, an enclosed place (toponymic) | |
| Pasquier | Unknown | From Latin ‘pascuarius’ (pasture keeper) | |
| Parent | Unknown | From Latin ‘parens’ meaning parent/relative | |
| Paquet | Unknown | small pack or parcel (occupational) | |
| Page | Unknown | page, young servant (occupational) | |
| Pagès | Unknown | Occitan form of Page (servant) | |
| Paillard | Unknown | From Old French ‘paillard’ meaning boisterous | |
| Pain | Unknown | bread (occupational: baker) | |
| Paul | Unknown | From given name Paul (Latin Paulus) | |
| Paulet | Unknown | Diminutive of Paul (“little Paul”) | |
| Payet | Unknown | Diminutive of Pay (personal name) or island origin | |
| Puech | Unknown | Occitan ‘peak’ or ‘hill’ (toponymic) | |
| Puel | Unknown | From Occitan ‘puèl’ (hill) / toponymic | Claude Puel — football manager (b.1961) |
| Piquet | Unknown | From ‘pique’ (pointed stake) or nickname | |
| Pichon | Unknown | Diminutive of ‘pic’ or regional nickname | |
| Pichot | Unknown | Diminutive or regional variant of ‘pic’ | |
| Planchon | Unknown | Occupational or toponymic (related to boards) | Jules Émile Planchon — botanist (1823–1888) |
| Plante | Unknown | plant or occupational (gardener) | |
| Plisson | Unknown | Unclear; likely toponymic or occupational | |
| Pinel | Unknown | From Latin ‘pinus’ or patronymic | Philippe Pinel — psychiatrist (1745–1826) |
| Pinard | Unknown | From ‘pin’ (pine) or nickname | |
| Pinot | Unknown | Diminutive of ‘pin’ or associated with grape variety | Thibaut Pinot — cyclist (b.1990) |
| Pineau | Unknown | From ‘pineau’ (pine-related) or toponymic | |
| Pinet | Unknown | Diminutive of ‘pin’ (pine) or toponymic | |
| Pierron | Unknown | Diminutive of Pierre | |
| Pierre | Unknown | From given name Pierre (stone) | |
| Pilon | Unknown | pestle (occupational or nickname) | |
| Pierson | Unknown | son of Pierre (patronymic) | |
| Pierrat | Unknown | Diminutive of Pierre | |
| Piaget | Unknown | Diminutive or variant of Pierre (Swiss origin) | Jean Piaget — psychologist (Swiss, francophone) |
| Piel | Unknown | Variant of ‘Peyre’ or ‘Pierre’ regionally | |
| Piegay | Unknown | Toponymic or Occitan origin | |
| Pigot | Unknown | Variant of Picot/Picot (nickname) | |
| Pilet | Unknown | Diminutive or occupational variant | |
| Pillet | Unknown | Diminutive of ‘pil’ or nickname | |
| Pinaud | Unknown | From ‘pin’ (pine) with suffix -aud | |
| Pinardot | Unknown | Diminutive/derivative of Pinard | |
| Pinault | Unknown | From ‘pin’ (pine) with suffix -ault | |
| Pinte | Unknown | From ‘pinte’ (measure) occupational | |
| Pintard | Unknown | Occupational or nickname (from ‘pinte’) | |
| Pineton | Unknown | Diminutive/variant of Pinet | |
| Pion | Unknown | From ‘peon’ (foot soldier) or small unit | |
| Pioline | Unknown | Diminutive/Italianate variant | |
| Piquard | Unknown | Variant of Piquet or Picard | |
| Plessier | Unknown | From ‘plessis’ (enclosure) toponymic | |
| Pluvinage | Unknown | Related to ‘pluie’ (rain) or toponymic | |
| Pluchart | Unknown | Toponymic or occupational | |
| Pluchon | Unknown | Variant of Pluchart | |
| Plomb | Unknown | Occupational (lead worker) or nickname | |
| Plouf | Unknown | Nickname-based (onomatopoeic) | |
| Plumer | Unknown | feather worker (occupational) | |
| Plumet | Unknown | Diminutive of ‘plume’ (feather) | |
| Pochard | Unknown | Nickname (from waterfowl) or occupational | |
| Pochon | Unknown | Diminutive of ‘poch’ or bag maker | |
| Poitevin | Unknown | from Poitou (toponymic) | |
| Poirié | Unknown | Variant of Poirier | |
| Poirson | Unknown | Variant of Poirier / patronymic | |
| Porta | Unknown | From Latin ‘porta’ (gate), toponymic | |
| Portail | Unknown | From ‘portal’ (gatekeeper) occupational | |
| Porter | Unknown | Occupational (porter) or Anglo-Norman influence | |
| Portel | Unknown | Toponymic (from small port) | |
| Porte | Unknown | door (nickname/occupational) | |
| Potier | Unknown | potter (occupational) | |
| Poulain | Unknown | foal (nickname) or occupational | |
| Poulenc | Unknown | From ‘poulain’ or personal name | Francis Poulenc — composer (1899–1963) |
| Poulin | Unknown | Diminutive of ‘poule’ (hen) or nickname | |
| Poujade | Unknown | Patronymic or nickname | Pierre Poujade — politician (1920–2003) |
| Pouget | Unknown | Occitan toponymic or nickname | |
| Pujol | Unknown | Occitan ‘small hill’ (toponymic) | |
| Puy | Unknown | From ‘le Puy’ (hill), toponymic | |
| Périer | Unknown | Variant of Perrier or from ‘père’ | Claude Perier — industrialist (18th–19th c.) |
| Pérignon | Unknown | Toponymic / family name | Dom Pérignon — Benedictine monk (c.1638–1715) |
| Prévost | Unknown | From Old French ‘prévôt’ (provost) or patronymic | Antoine François Prévost (Abbé Prévost) — writer (1697–1763) |
| Prudhomme | Unknown | wise or prudent man (nickname/title) | |
| Prévot | Unknown | From ‘prévôt’ (medieval official) | |
| Pradier | Unknown | Toponymic or occupational | James Pradier — sculptor (1790–1852) |
Descriptions
Petit
One of France’s most common surnames; widespread nationwide. Variants: Pettey, Petiot, Petitjean. Often a nickname for a small person.
Picard
Toponymic name for people from Picardy. Common in northern France; variants Piccard, Picardet. Also famous in literature and culture.
Poirier
Often from areas with pear orchards; frequent in northwestern France and Quebec. Variants Poire, Poiré. Simple rural origin.
Poisson
Originally a nickname or occupational name for fishermen; found across France. Not to be confused with “poisson” as common noun.
Pons
Occitan and southern French distribution; often toponymic. Variants Ponson, Le Pons.
Perrin
Patronymic from the given name Pierre. Widespread in France with many local variants (Perron, Perrot).
Perrier
Common in central and southern France. Variants Perrieret, Perrierin. Also famous as a brand name.
Pelletier
Occupational or diminutive origin; common in northwestern France and French Canada. Variants Pelletieret, Pelleter.
Proust
Literary surname best known from the author. Northern and Parisian presence; etymology debated.
Pagnol
Strongly Provençal; associated with regional literature and cinema. Spelling stable.
Poincaré
Historic scholarly family; associated with eastern France. Rare but culturally prominent.
Pascal
Originally a given name used as a surname. Found across France and francophone areas.
Parmentier
Associated with potato promotion in France. Toponymic/occupational origin; common in northwestern France.
Plessis
Toponymic surname often with particle (du Plessis). Found across France, especially Normandy and Brittany.
Pasquier
Common in Normandy and northern France. Variants Pasquale (Italian), Pasquien.
Parent
Widespread surname; can be patronymic or nickname. Common in France and Quebec.
Paquet
Found across France and Quebec. Variants Paquette.
Page
Medieval occupational name; present in northern France and Occitan areas. Variants Paget, Pagès.
Pagès
Common in southern France, Catalan/Occitan regions. Accented variant Pagès frequent in Catalan-influenced areas.
Paillard
Nickname-based surname; found in eastern France. Variants Paillart.
Pain
Rare surname derived from occupation or nickname; not to be confused with English ‘pain’.
Paul
Patronymic surname from the personal name Paul. Found across francophone regions.
Paulet
Often found in southern France. Diminutive patronymic form.
Payet
Common in Réunion and French overseas territories; present in metropolitan France through migration.
Puech
Typical of southern France (Languedoc, Provence). Variants Puechou, Le Puech.
Puel
Southern French origin; found in Occitan-speaking areas.
Piquet
Used in France and francophone countries. Variants Piquette.
Pichon
Common in Normandy and Brittany. Variants Pichot, Pichard.
Pichot
Found in western France; often interchangeable with Pichon.
Planchon
Southwestern France distribution; surname in scientific history.
Plante
Common in Quebec and found in metropolitan France. Often horticultural origin.
Plisson
Recorded in western France; spelling stable.
Pinel
Historic medical family name; present in Parisian records.
Pinard
Surname with rural origins; found across France.
Pinot
Found in Burgundy and eastern France; also associated with wine grape names.
Pineau
Common in western France and Quebec; also a regional drink name.
Pinet
Southern and western French presence; small local variants.
Pierron
Patronymic variant of Pierre; found in northeastern France.
Pierre
Used both as a given name and a surname. Patronymic origin; widespread.
Pilon
Occupational name or nickname for a strong person. Found across France.
Pierson
Walloon and northern French distribution; variants Pierson, Peirson.
Pierrat
Eastern France, Lorraine and Alsace occurrences; patronymic variant.
Piaget
Mostly Swiss-French but attested in France; patronymic origin.
Piel
Regional variant in northern France; limited distribution.
Piegay
Rare, southern distribution; Occitan linguistic background.
Pigot
Recorded historically in Normandy and Brittany; variant spellings exist.
Pilet
Found in Burgundy and eastern France; small local families.
Pillet
Regional in central France; several spelling variants.
Pinaud
Western France and Loire valley occurrences; toponymic origin.
Pinardot
Rare variant; localised families.
Pinault
Notable family name in business circles; western France origin.
Pinte
Often linked to innkeepers or tavern owners historically.
Pintard
Regional variant; found in western France.
Pineton
Rare localised surname.
Pion
Found across France with military or diminutive origins.
Pioline
Seen in southeastern France; Italian influence possible.
Piquard
Regional variant in Normandy and Brittany.
Plessier
Related to Plessis families; found in northern France.
Pluvinage
Very rare; historical records in northern France.
Pluchart
Scarce name; tenuous regional pockets.
Pluchon
Rare, local family name occurrences.
Plomb
Historically linked to lead workers; rare today.
Plouf
Very rare and dialectal; recorded in limited historic documents.
Plumer
Occupational origin; rare modern occurrences.
Plumet
Small regional families; Occitan and northern records.
Pochard
Rural nickname origin; recorded in central France.
Pochon
Localised surname in eastern France.
Poitevin
Indicates origin from Poitou; common in western France and colonial migrations.
Poirié
Regional variant; pear-tree origin.
Poirson
Found in Normandy and northern France; variant spelling.
Porta
Southern and Occitan presence; variants La Porta, De la Porta.
Portail
Toponymic or occupational origin; found in central France.
Porter
Less common; may reflect historical Norman-English links.
Portel
Coastal regions; toponymic family name.
Porte
Surname with simple French noun origin; scattered across France.
Potier
Common occupational surname; many regional variants and historical families.
Poulain
Used in northern France and Belgium; patronymic and nickname origins.
Poulenc
Known in musical history; French origin, notable cultural bearer.
Poulin
Common in Quebec and present in France; farming origin.
Poujade
Associated with 1950s French populism (Poujadism); regional roots in southern France.
Pouget
Common in southern France (Occitan region); many local variants.
Pujol
Typical Catalan/Occitan surname; frequent in southern France.
Puy
Often part of compound names (du Puy); central France and Auvergne presence.
Périer
Historic family in Grenoble and Lyon regions; spelling with accent common.
Pérignon
Historic Champagne family name; associated with wine and abbey traditions.
Prévost
Common in northern France; many literary and historical bearers.
Prudhomme
Historic occupational or sobriquet name; found in northern and central France.
Prévot
Administrative surname with medieval origins; regional variants Prévôt, Prevot.
Pradier
Historic artistic family with Swiss-French links; found in southeastern France.