This collection presents 30 French last names that start with T, spanning from “Taillandier” to “Turgot”. They reflect regional roots, occupations, and spelling variants common across France and francophone regions. Use this list for genealogy, character naming, or cultural research.
French last names that start with T are family names beginning with the letter T used across France and francophone areas. Many derive from trades, places, or medieval personal names, such as Turgot, the 18th-century economist and statesman.
Below you’ll find the table with Surname, Meaning / origin, and Notable people.
Surname: The family name itself, shown with accents and variants so you can identify exact spellings quickly.
Meaning / origin: Short explanation of the name’s origin, helping you understand historical, occupational, or geographic roots.
Notable people: A brief list of one to three well-known individuals, so you can connect names to historical or cultural figures.
French last names that start with T
| Surname | Meaning | Frequency | Notable bearers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas | Aramaic ‘twin’; adopted via medieval given name | 70,000 | Henri Thomas — novelist |
| Thibault | From Germanic Theobald, ‘bold people’ | 28,000 | (common family name; historical bearers across France) |
| Tissot | Occupational/diminutive of ’tisser’ (weaver) | 19,000 | James Tissot — painter |
| Tissandier | Variant of Tissier; linked to ‘weaver’ | 200 | Paul Tissandier — aviator; Gaston Tissandier — aeronaut |
| Tavernier | From Old French tavernier, ‘innkeeper’ | 3,000 | Bertrand Tavernier — film director |
| Truffaut | Possibly from ‘truffe’ (truffle) or nickname | 150 | François Truffaut — film director |
| Tati | Possibly Occitan nickname or variant | 120 | Jacques Tati — filmmaker |
| Talleyrand | Toponymic or nickname; uncertain origin | 200 | Charles‑Maurice de Talleyrand — statesman |
| Tocqueville | Toponymic: ‘from Tocqueville’ (Normandy) | 100 | Alexis de Tocqueville — political thinker |
| Turgot | From Germanic personal name ‘Þurgaud’ | 80 | Anne‑Robert‑Jacques Turgot — economist |
| Thiers | Toponymic or from Old French ‘thir’ (door) | 1,200 | Adolphe Thiers — president and historian |
| Thorez | Variant of a given name or nickname | 300 | Maurice Thorez — communist leader |
| Tremblay | From place-name Tremblay (poplar grove) | 2,500 | Michel Tremblay — playwright (Québec) |
| Tesson | From Old French ‘tesson’ (shard/roof tile) | 600 | Sylvain Tesson — writer and traveller |
| Tardieu | From Old French tardif, ‘late’ or nickname | 1,000 | André Tardieu — prime minister |
| Tardif | Nickname ‘tardy’ (late) or descriptive | 3,000 | Paul Tardif — Canadian politician |
| Tanguy | Breton: from ‘Tan’ (fire) + ‘guy’ elements | 1,200 | Yves Tanguy — surrealist painter |
| Tourneur | Occupational: ‘turner’ or maker of turned objects | 400 | Jacques Tourneur — film director |
| Tournier | Toponymic/occupational variant of ‘turner’ | 1,800 | Michel Tournier — novelist |
| Truchet | Likely nickname; regional Occitan/Languedoc origins | 150 | Sébastien Truchet — mathematician/engineer |
| Tronchet | Diminutive or regional nickname/form | 400 | François‑Denis Tronchet — jurist |
| Turenne | Toponymic/noble title (La Tour de Turenne) | 250 | Henri de la Tour d’Auvergne, duc de Turenne — marshal |
| Trémoille | From place-name La Trémoille; noble house | 300 | Louis II de La Trémoille — nobleman |
| Truchon | Occitan/French regional name; uncertain root | 180 | (documented in Québec and France genealogies) |
| Trépanier | Toponymic or occupational (wood cutting) | 220 | (common in Quebec records) |
| Tixier | Occitan form of ‘Texier/Tessier’ (cloth‑maker) | 4,000 | Jean‑Louis Tixier‑Vignancour — lawyer/politician |
| Texier | Occupational: from Old French ‘tessier’ (weaver) | 3,500 | (documented French bearers in regional archives) |
| Tessier | From Old French ‘tessier’, ‘weaver’ or pottery term | 8,000 | (numerous regional figures in France and Québec) |
| Tassin | From Latin ‘Taxinus’ or a toponymic form | 2,000 | (attested in northern French records) |
| Taillandier | Occupational: ‘worker with a broad blade’ or ‘cutter’ | 1,000 | (writers and local notables historically) |
Descriptions
Thomas
One of France’s most widespread surnames, pan‑regional; many medieval patronymic origins and variants across francophone Canada and France.
Thibault
Old Germanic personal name turned surname; frequent in north and east France with variants Thibaud, Thibaut, Thibault, Thiébaut.
Tissot
Well‑established surname, especially in Franche‑Comté and eastern France; many local spellings (Tissier, Tissot).
Tissandier
Rare name known from 19th‑century aeronautical pioneers; mostly central France, historically artisan origins.
Tavernier
Occupational surname with medieval roots; common in southwest and eastern France, many variants (Taverner).
Truffaut
Relatively rare but culturally famous via filmmaker François Truffaut; Occitan and central France attestations.
Tati
Short, distinctive surname; associated with the famous 20th‑century filmmaker Jacques Tati; Occitan and Parisian occurrences.
Talleyrand
Aristocratic name made famous by the diplomat Talleyrand; noble lineage, concentrated historically in Poitou and Berry.
Tocqueville
Noble/toponymic family from Normandy; best known via Alexis de Tocqueville and his writings on democracy.
Turgot
Rare historic surname, notable in 18th‑century politics; associated with reformist economist and Controller‑General of Finance.
Thiers
Established surname with notable 19th‑century statesman Adolphe Thiers; found in central and northern France.
Thorez
Recognizable due to Maurice Thorez; mainly northern France, 20th‑century political associations.
Tremblay
Extremely common in Quebec; present in France too as toponymic surname, especially Normandie and Île‑de‑France origins.
Tesson
Brittany/Normandy occurrences; literary fame via contemporary writer Sylvain Tesson; occupational/toponymic roots.
Tardieu
Surname concentrated in western France; several political/bureaucratic figures in 19th–20th centuries.
Tardif
Common in francophone Canada and present in France; descriptive medieval nickname turned family name.
Tanguy
Originally Breton, now widespread; appears as both surname and given name, with strong regional identity in Brittany.
Tourneur
Occupational surname with medieval roots; known in Normandy and northwest France; notable cinematic family.
Tournier
Well‑attested across France, literary prominence via Michel Tournier; multiple regional spellings like Tournier/Tournié.
Truchet
Rare surname of southern France; Sébastien Truchet notable for 17th‑century scientific work.
Tronchet
Known from the Enlightenment jurist Tronchet; Occitan and central France occurrences, often legal or civic families.
Turenne
Noble name tied to the famous marshal Turenne; historical association with southwestern nobility and military leadership.
Trémoille
Aristocratic surname (La Trémoille) with medieval and Renaissance prominence; associated with Poitou nobility.
Truchon
Mostly attested in Quebec and parts of France; often linked to rural roots and regional migration to North America.
Trépanier
Typical francophone Canadian surname with French origins; found in Quebec and some French records, lumbering associations.
Tixier
Common in southern France; numerous variants (Tixier, Tixier‑Vignancour); artisanal medieval origin (cloth/repair).
Texier
Norman/Occitan occurrences; variant of Tessier/Tissier, linked to textile trades.
Tessier
Widespread surname with craft origins; frequent in Normandy and Quebec, many local variants (Tessier/Tessy).
Tassin
Found in northern France; may be toponymic or patronymic with medieval roots, multiple spellings Tassin/Tasson.
Taillandier
Surname of artisan origin, present across France with literary and municipal bearers; variants: Taillandier, Tailler.