Here you’ll find 48 French last names that start with S, organized from “Sabatier” to “Ségur”. These names often derive from occupations, places, or nicknames, and they serve genealogy, writing, and cultural research well.
French last names that start with S are family names of French or francophone origin beginning with the letter S. They include occupational names like “Sabatier” and noble names like “Ségur”, reflecting social history.
Below you’ll find the table with Surname, Meaning/Origin, and Notable people.
Surname: The family name itself; you can scan it for spelling, accents, and variant forms and regional use.
Meaning/Origin: A concise origin or meaning that helps you understand historical roots or likely geographic origin of the surname.
Notable people: List of one to three notable individuals with the surname, useful when you trace famous bearers or cultural links.
French last names that start with S
| Surname | Pronunciation | Meaning/Origin | Frequency in France (bearers) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simon | /si.mɔ̃/ | From Hebrew “he has heard”; biblical personal name | 60,000 |
| Sanchez | /sɑ̃.ʃɛs/ | Spanish patronymic “son of Sancho” | 45,000 |
| Schmidt | /ʃmit/ | German occupational name “smith” | 25,000 |
| Schmitt | /ʃmit/ | Variant of Schmidt; “smith” | 20,000 |
| Sauvage | /so.vaʒ/ | Nickname meaning “wild, untamed” | 18,000 |
| Sabatier | /sa.ba.tje/ | Occupational name “baker” (Old Occitan/Latin) | 15,000 |
| Salomon | /sa.lɔ.mɔ̃/ | From Hebrew “peaceful”; biblical name | 12,000 |
| Serre | /sɛʁ/ | Topographic: “ridge” or occupational “greenhouse keeper” | 10,000 |
| Sorel | /sɔ.ʁɛl/ | From Latin “sorrel” (reddish) or personal name | 8,000 |
| Seguin | /sə.gɛ̃/ | Germanic “victory” + “friend” (Sigwin) | 6,000 |
| Soulier | /su.lje/ | Occupational “shoemaker” (from Old French) | 4,000 |
| Saulnier | /so.lɲe/ | Occupational “salt worker” or “salt merchant” | 8,000 |
| Sergent | /sɛʁ.ʒɑ̃/ | Nickname/occupation “sergeant” (military rank) | 4,500 |
| Seguy | /se.gɥi/ | Occitan/Basque origin; family name | 1,200 |
| Ségur | /se.ɡyʁ/ | Toponymic from Ségur places in southwest France | 800 |
| Segalen | /se.ɡa.lɛn/ | Breton surname; likely regional origin | 300 |
| Seznec | /sɛz.nɛk/ | Breton origin, likely toponymic | 2,000 |
| Saillard | /saj.aʁ/ | From Old French “saille/saillie” or diminutive form | 1,500 |
| Savary | /sa.va.ʁi/ | From Germanic name “Savaric” (powerful) | 3,500 |
| Savoie | /sa.vwa/ | Toponymic from Savoy (Savoie) region | 5,000 |
| Saunier | /so.nje/ | Occupational “salt worker” (from ‘saunier’) | 3,000 |
| Sartre | /saʁtʁ/ | Occupational “sartor” (tailor) in Occitan/French | 1,500 |
| Sarkozy | /saʁ.ko.zi/ | Hungarian-origin family name, naturalized in France | 1,200 |
| Soulié | /su.lje/ | From Occitan “soli” (solo) or habitational | 2,500 |
| Soulé | /su.le/ | Basque/Occitan regional name; also historical region | 1,500 |
| Soufflot | /su.flɔ/ | Possibly occupational/topographic; famous family name | 300 |
| Souchon | /su.ʃɔ̃/ | Occupational or toponymic origin; Occitan roots | 1,800 |
| Soubise | /su.biz/ | Noble toponymic name from Soubise (Charente-Maritime) | 600 |
| Soubeyran | /su.bɛ.ʁɑ̃/ | Occitan regional surname from Ardèche/Drôme | 400 |
| Souchet | /su.ʃɛ/ | Diminutive or occupational origin; Occitan influence | 1,200 |
| Souquet | /su.kɛ/ | Diminutive of “souche” (stump) or toponymic | 1,000 |
| Soule | /su.lə/ | Toponymic from historical Basque province Soule | 1,500 |
| Soullier | /su.lje/ | Variant of Soulier (shoemaker) or diminutive | 900 |
| Simonet | /si.mɔ.ne/ | Diminutive of Simon (“little Simon”) | 3,000 |
| Simonin | /si.mɔ.nɛ̃/ | Diminutive/variant of Simon | 2,800 |
| Sicard | /si.kaʁ/ | Occitan personal name, from Latin ‘Sicardus’ | 2,200 |
| Sautet | /so.te/ | From Old French ‘saut’ (jump) or toponymic | 600 |
| Sauter | /so.tɛʁ/ | Occupational or nickname “one who jumps/steps” | 800 |
| Salin | /sa.lɛ̃/ | Occupational “salt worker” or from salt marshes | 2,000 |
| Sauret | /so.ʁɛ/ | Diminutive of ‘saur’ or from Occitan roots | 700 |
| Sirot | /si.ʁo/ | Diminutive or regional variant of personal names | 1,100 |
| Sire | /siʁ/ | From Old French “lord” or honorific used as surname | 900 |
| Soubeyrand | /su.bɛ.ʁɑ̃/ | Variant of Soubeyran; Occitan origin | 350 |
| Soubrier | /su.bʁje/ | Occupational “soubrier” (soutaine-maker) or variant | 500 |
| Savin | /sa.vɛ̃/ | Derived from Latin ‘sabinus’ or from plant ‘savin’ | 1,800 |
| Salvat | /sal.va/ | Occitan/Spanish form of ‘Salvador’ or ‘saved’ | 1,000 |
| Sainte-Laurent | /sɛ̃t lo.ʁɑ̃/ | Toponymic/compound from “Saint-Laurent” (used as surname) | 3,500 |
Descriptions
Simon
Very common nationwide; variants Simonet, Simonin. Notables: Paul Simon (politician), Claude Simon (writer).
Sanchez
Widespread in south and urban France due to Iberian immigration. Variants: Sánchez. Notable: actor/director Javier Sánchez (French residents).
Schmidt
Common in Alsace–Lorraine and northeast France. Variants: Schmitt, Schmdit. Notables: many Alsatian families.
Schmitt
Alsatian variant of Schmidt; prominent in eastern France. Notables: actor Arthur Schmitt (examples in culture).
Sauvage
Found nationwide, strong presence in Normandy and Picardy. Variants: Sauvageot. Notable: composer Jean Sauvage.
Sabatier
Frequent in southern France. Variants: Sabattier, Sabatier père. Notable: luthier/armorer families historically.
Salomon
Found across France; common among Jewish and non-Jewish families. Notable: financier and historical figures.
Serre
Common in Occitanie and southern regions. Variants: Serres. Notable: geographer/engineers named Serre.
Sorel
Widespread, especially northern and central France. Notable: playwright and actor surnames.
Seguin
Historic across northwest and Normandy. Variants: Séguin. Notable: medieval lordship families.
Soulier
Found in northern and central France. Variants: Soulay, Soulié. Notable: families of craft tradition.
Saulnier
Common in northwestern France and Normandy. Variants: Saunier. Notable: artists and local officials.
Sergent
Found nationwide; variants Sergent, Sergent-Marceau. Notable: military and civic figures.
Seguy
Most frequent in southwest France. Notable: entomologist Gabriel Séguy.
Ségur
Historically noble families (Comtes de Ségur). Strongly southwestern.
Segalen
Brittany-based; notable bearer Victor Segalen, writer and explorer.
Seznec
Breton surname concentrated in Finistère; notable: the Seznec legal case.
Saillard
Found in Auvergne and central France. Variants: Saillart.
Savary
Historic in Normandy and Loire; notable: medieval nobles and politicians.
Savoie
Associated with Savoie region and Alpine areas. Variants: Savoy. Notables: regional families.
Saunier
Common in east and central France. Variants: Saulnier.
Sartre
Most known from Jean-Paul Sartre (philosopher). Occurs in west and central France.
Sarkozy
Notable due to Nicolas Sarkozy, former French president; present mostly in Paris region.
Soulié
Common in southern France. Variants: Soulier, Souliès.
Soulé
Concentrated in southwest (Basque area). Variant of Soule.
Soufflot
Notable: architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot. Concentrated historically in central France.
Souchon
Known via singer Alain Souchon; southwestern and Parisian presence.
Soubise
Historically aristocratic (Dukes of Soubise). Mostly west France.
Soubeyran
Concentrated in Ardèche and Drôme; regional variants Soubeyrand.
Souchet
Found in southern France; notable bearers in arts and local politics.
Souquet
Common in Provence and southern France; variants Souquette.
Soule
Basque and southwestern presence. Also used as regional identifier.
Soullier
Northern and central France; craft-family associations.
Simonet
Widely found across France; variants Simonet, Simonin.
Simonin
Common in eastern France; often seen as familial diminutive.
Sicard
Concentrated in Occitanie and southern France. Notable regional figures.
Sautet
Known via director Claude Sautet; central and southern France.
Sauter
Present in eastern France; also German-influenced regions.
Salin
Found near coastal and salt-producing regions. Variants: Salinier.
Sauret
Southern France prevalence; notable musicians and local notables.
Sirot
Found in Champagne and northern France; small but established families.
Sire
Historic and literary presence; scattered regionally.
Soubeyrand
South-central France, especially Ardèche; family variants common.
Soubrier
Southern and central France; artisan-family surname.
Savin
Found in east and central France; variants Savine, Savigny.
Salvat
Southern France and Occitania; variant Salvatore in Italian contexts.
Sainte-Laurent
Used as hereditary surname for some families; commoner in various regions. Notables: fashion house namesakes.