This list includes 12 French last names that start with Z, from “Zanetti” to “Zurcher”. Several reflect cross-border ties with Italy and Switzerland, and some retain regional accents and variants.

[French last names that start with Z] are family names found in France and francophone regions that begin with the letter Z. Names like “Zanetti” and “Zurcher” reflect Italian and Swiss influences in French-speaking areas.

Below you’ll find the table with Surname, Meaning/Origin, Notable people, and Variants.

Surname: The family name itself, listed alphabetically so you can quickly find the exact spelling and accents.

Meaning/Origin: A concise origin or meaning to help you understand geographical or linguistic roots of the name.

Notable people: Brief examples of well-known individuals bearing the name, aiding research and cultural context.

Variants: Alternative spellings and diacritic forms so you can track historical or regional name changes.

French last names that start with Z

SurnameVariant spellings / AccentsMeaning/OriginNotable people (1–3)
ZanettiZanetti, ZanettoItalian patronymic from “Zan” (Giovanni)Javier Zanetti — footballer
ZellerZeller, ZehlerHabitational from German Zell or occupational “cellarer”
ZemmourZemmour, ZemourMaghrebi Jewish; likely Arabic/Berber originÉric Zemmour — journalist and politician
ZianiZiani, ZyaniNorth African personal-name origin (Maghrebi)Karim Ziani — footballer
ZidaneZidane, Zidan, ZidaniArabic “increase, abundance” (Zaydān)Zinedine Zidane — footballer and coach
ZieglerZiegler, ZiéglerGerman occupational “tiler” or brickmakerHenri Ziegler — aviator & industrialist
ZinsZinsAlsatian/Germanic, possibly habitational or linked to “rent”
ZolaZolaItalian (Piedmontese), from “zolla” meaning “clod of earth”Émile Zola — novelist
ZucchiZucchi, ZucconiItalian, diminutive from “zucca” (gourd)
ZuffereyZuffereyToponymic from Valais/Savoy region (Swiss Romande)
ZuninoZuninoCorsican/Italian patronymic or diminutive
ZurcherZürcher, ZurcherToponymic “from Zürich” (Swiss German)

Descriptions

Zanetti
Italian/Corsican origin, common among Italian diaspora in France (Paris, Nice, Corsica). Often linked to immigrant families and footballing circles.
Zeller
Predominantly Alsace–Lorraine and eastern France; Germanic roots with long regional presence, common among Alsatian families and historical civic records.
Zemmour
Found among North African Jewish and Maghrebi communities in France, notably in Parisian suburbs; rose to prominence in contemporary French media and politics.
Ziani
Frequent in French urban areas with Algerian/Tunisian heritage (Marseille, Paris). Common among Maghrebi immigrant families and their descendants.
Zidane
Widespread among Maghrebi-origin families in France; strongly associated with Zinedine Zidane and Franco‑Algerian cultural presence.
Ziegler
Common in Alsace and eastern France with Germanic roots; historically tied to craftsmen and industrial families.
Zins
Traditional Alsatian surname concentrated in Bas‑Rhin and Haut‑Rhin; appears in regional civil records and local merchant histories.
Zola
Rare but well known in France through Émile Zola; Italian origins, associated with Parisian literary history and 19th‑century culture.
Zucchi
Found among Italian immigrant communities in France (Provence, Paris); reflects Italian migration and family lines in francophone records.
Zufferey
Common in French‑speaking Switzerland and Savoie; appears in Savoyard and Valais civil registries, occasionally in southeastern France.
Zunino
Corsica and Provence distribution; reflects Italian/Corsican heritage and maritime island family networks recorded in French archives.
Zurcher
Present in Alsace and French‑speaking Switzerland; Germanic/Swiss origin, spelled with or without umlaut in francophone records.
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