English and Scottish surnames of French origin

spongetaro

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Here are some examples of French-derived English and Scottish surnames, dating from the time of the Norman conquest and the Plantagenet Era:


-DISNEY => derived from a Norman family called D'ISIGNY from the village of ISIGNY in Normandy .
-CHURCHILL=>Descended from Roger DE COURCIL (1050-1087) also known as "Roger DE COURCELLE", who arrived in England in 1066 from Normandy. During the 12th century the spelling of the surname had evolved into de curichil, de chirchil, de churchile before evolving to Churchill by the early 13th century when it was confused with the English words "church", and "hill".-CUSACK: from the town CUSSAC in South west France (Aquitaine)
-KEYNES: Alteration the placename Kahaines or Kahaignae (the village is now called Cahagnes) in Normandy
-BRUCE: comes from the French ‘de Brus’ or ‘de Bruis’, derived from the village that is now Brix in Normandy, where the first Robert de Brus is thought to have originated from.
-IRONS: derived from the town AIRAINES in northern France (Picardy).
-CHENEY: derived from the Old French chesne, chesnai (modern French: chêne), "oak tree". may be derived from any of the places named with the Old French "chesnai –
-LACEY: derived from te village LASSY in Nomandy
-GAYLORD: Derived from the Old French surname Gaillard (Strong),Gaulish. galia 'might'-
-MORTIMER: derived from the village of MORTEMER in Normandy
-DORSEY: from the Norman familiy name D'ORSAY meaning "from the town of ORSAY" in Normandy
-PURCELL: from Old French pourcel 'piglet'
-BOSWELL: named after the village BEUZEVILLE in Normandy
- REDMOND: derived from the Old French forenames Raimund and Raimond.
-MONTGOMERY : derived from SAINT GERMAIN DE MONTGOMMERY in Normandy.
-SEYMOUR: from a town in Normandy,
SAINT-MAUR
-FITZGERALD, means in Old French "son of Gerald".
-PERCY: , derives from the village of Percy-en-Auge in Normandy.
-JOYCE: derived from the Old French Masculine name Josse
-HEWLETT==> from the Old French Hughelot. a diminutive of the name Hugh
-TAYLOR==> derived from the Old French tailleur ("cutter")
-SINCLAIR: from the village Saint-Clair (sur-l'Elle) in Normandy



-BALLIOL= derived from one of numerous place names in France such as Bailleul-en-Vimeu in Picardy, or Bailleul in Northern France. These place names are generally thought to come from the Old French word "baille," which meant "fortification."
-BEAUFORT: habitational name from various places in France named Beaufort, for example in Nord, Somme, and Pas-de-Calais, from Old French beu, bel 'fair', 'lovely' + fort 'fortress', 'stronghold'.
-DE VERE: derived their surname from Ver (department Manche, canton Gavray), in Normandy
-VILLIERS: derived from one of the six places in Normandy so called, from Old French "Villiers" meaning:town-dweller
-MONTAGU: habitational name from a place La Manche in France, so named from Old French mont 'hill'+ agu 'pointed

-MALLORY: From an Anglo-Norman nickname for an unfortunate person, from Old French maleure, malheure (“unhappy, unlucky”)
-LAMAR: From a placename in Normandy, which was derived from Old French la mare (“the pool”).
-NUGENT: from any of the several places in Northern France, called NOGENT -from the Gaulish word “Novios” meaning new, or “New town’
-LOVETT: from Anglo-Norman French "lo(u)vet" meaning "wolf cub" or "young wolf"
-BUTLER: from Old French buttiler, boteillier (“officer in charge of wine”)
-DARELL: derived from d'AIREL, name of a Norman family that came from a place called AIRELLE in Normandy.
-BARRET: from the old French male given name BARAUD
-TYRELL: derived from the Old French word tirer, which means to draw.
-BASKERVILLE: derived from the village Bacqueville in Normandy,
-CAGE: from the Old French word cage, orcagier, meaning an enclosure
-D'ARCY: from the town Bois d'Arcis near Paris
-FRASER: originally derives from the French fraise, meaning strawberry.
-VERNON: from the town VERNON in Normandy. derived from the Gaulish word vern for Alder tree (also springlike, flourishing, or full of life), a "place of alders"
-NEVILLE: Old French Neville "Néel's estate" or Neuville "new settlement".
-PAINE: comes from the Old French "paien" originally meaning "a villager or rustic", and later a heathen.
-CHAMBERLAIN: from Old French chambrelain, Norman French cambrelanc, cambrelen(c) ‘chamberlain’. This was the name of an official in charge of the private chambers of his master.
-HUSSEY: derived from the town HOUSSAYE in Normandy
-CAMPION: name for a professional Champion, deriving from the Old Norman-French "campiun" or "campion"
-MELVILLE: from Malleville in Normandy.
-BELLAMY: from beu or bel (good, fair, handsome) and ami (friend).
-COURTNEY/COURTENAY: from places called COURTENEY in North west France or from a nickname for a person who had a snub nose, from the Old French "court, curt", short, with "nes", nose.
-CURTIS: from Old French corteis and curteis (Modern French courtois (“polite”)), meaning courteous.
-WARREN: from a place La Varenne "the game park" in Normandy, French garenne 'rabbit warren', Gaulish 'varena 'enclosed area'

-QUINCY: , from places name QUINCEY in France
-RUSSEL: means "the son of Red", from the Old French "Rous", red, a nickname for someone with red hair, and "-el", little.
-SPENCER: from Old French " espenser, -ier "– dispenser of money, provisions
-TRAVIS: from the French "traverser" or "to cross" meaning "to cross over,"
-DELANEY: Old French del aunaie "from the alder grove".-DISNEY => derived from a Norman family called D'ISIGNY from the village of ISIGNY in Normandy .



-BANISTER: comes from the Old French or Old Norman banastre which was a type of wicker basket
-LEVETT: From LIVET (en-Ouche) in Normandy
-ORPEN: derives deriving from "Erpen" (Normandy).

-CURZON: derived from Notre Dame de Curson in Normandy.

-MENZIES :derrived from Mesnieres in Normandy
-GRANT: nickname derived from the Anglo-Norman graund, graunt ("tall", "large") and the Old French grand, grant,
-CORBET,CORBETT : Derived from the French word "corbet", "Little raven"
-GIFFORD: from the Old French word "Giffard", used as a nickname for someone thought to be chubby-cheeked
-BOWLES/BOWELL: from the Old Norman-French "boelle", meaning enclosure and specifically one cleared for agriculture.

 
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Many of those names are also Hiberno-Norman such as Fitzgerald, Purcell, Redmond etc but Delaney is also an Irish origin surname from a different etymology than the Norman origin Delaney surname. One of the most common Norman origin surnames in Ireland is Burke from De Burgh another one is Butler.

There is quite an extensive list in here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normans_in_Ireland
 
In fact we have sometimes to distinguish linguistically Norman (or French) names of Normans names of other linguistic origine (translations, possessions, rather rare it's true). Some names of linguistic French origin were worn by basic folks. We had begun a very similar topic before. But it was not gone very far if I rememebr well.
 
Some propositions with uncertainties(?) sometimes; the bold letters names are from placenames in France, Normandy for the most; the ¤ sign marks French words passed in everyday English, so their bearers are not by force of French (Norman or not) origin.

Archer¤Larcher
GibbinsGilbert ?

Aubrey ?Aubry
Gibbon(s)Gilbert ?

AustinAoustin/Augustin
GiffordGiffard

AveryAvry/Avril
GillettGilet/Gilet

Bacon¤Baccon
GoddardGodard

BaggottBagot
Gra(i)ngerGranger

Bailey ?Bailly
GraceGrâce ?

Barber¤Barbier
GrangeGrange/Lagrange

BarrattBarrat
GranvilleGrandville

BarrellBarreau
Gravell(e)Gravelle

BarrettBarret
GrosvenorGrosveneur

Barry Ir.Barry
GurneyGournay

BartlettBerthelet
HerriottHerriot

BassettBasset
JardineJardin/Gardin

Bayley Bailly
JarmanGermain

Bayliss ?

JarrettJarret

BeaulieuBeaulieu
JarvisGervais

BeaumontBeaumont
Jeff(e)riesGeffroy

BeckettBecquet/Béchet
JefferyGeffroy

Bell 2Lebel, Beau
Jeffrey(s)Geffroy

BenjaminBenjamin
JeffriesGeffroy

BennettBenoît/Benoist
JermanGermain

Betambeau?
JervisGervais

Betton ?Betton
JolleyJoly/Joliff

BlewettBleuet
JolliffJoly/Joliff

BlewittBleuet
JowettJouet

Blount ?Blond
Joyce Ir.Joies ????

BlundellBlondel/Blondeau
LatimerLatimier

BonnerBonnier
LewavassourLevavasseur
Bowcott ?Boucot ?
LockettLoquet

Bower(s)Bouvier/Boyer
LovattLouvet/Loubet

BowkettBouquet
LovellLouvel/Louveau

BowyerBoyer/Bouvier
LovettLouvet/Loubet

BoyceBois/Dubois
LyonsLyons

Bray ?Bray ?
MallettMallet

BrazierBrasier
MalpassMalpasse

BrettBret/Lebret
MarchantMarchand

Brown¤¤Brun/Lebrun
Marriot(t)Mariot

Bryant Br.Briant/Briand (breton)
Mas(s)onMasson

Burdett ?Bourdet
MaynardMeynard

Burgess¤Bourgeois
Millard ?Milard ???

BurgoyneBougogne/Bourgoin
MitchellMichel/Michaud

BurgwinBourgoin/Bourgogne
Moline(a)uxMoulineaux

BurkeBourg/Dubourg
Molyne(a)uxMoulineaux

BurnellBrunel/Bruneau
Morley ?La Morelay

BurnettBrunet
MullardMulard ?

Butler¤Bouteiller
MullettMulet

ByardBayard ?
MurrellMorel/Moreau

Carpenter¤Carpentier/Charpentier
NapperNappier ??

Carter¤Cartier/Charretier
Nevill(e)Neuville

Challenor ?

NewellNouvel/Nouveau+Neuville ?

Challinor ?

NewillNouvel/Nouveau+Neuville ?

Challoner ?

NicklinNicolin

ChamberlainChamberlin …
Norris


Chambers¤Chambres ?
NowellNoël ?/Nouvel ?

Chandler¤Chandelier
NowillNoël ?/Nouvel ?

ChaplinChapelain
NugentNogent

ChappellChappel/Chapeau
PadgettPaget

CheyneChêne/Duchesne
Page¤Page/Lepage

CheyneyChênaie
Paget(t)Paget

Cockrell

ParisParis

CollinsColin/Collin
Parrott¤ 2Perrot

Conde ?Condé ?
PassantPassant ?

CorbettCourbet
PearcePierre

Cott(e)r(r)ellCotterel/Cottereau ?
PennellPenel/ ?

Cott(e)rillCotterel/Cottereau ?
PennillPenel/ ?

CousinsCousin
Percival ?Parcifal ?

Cumming(s)Comine ?
PerrettPerret

Currie

Perrin(s)Perrin

CurtisCourtois
PerrottPerrot

CutlerCoutelier
Pettit(t)Petit/Lepetit

Davenport ???D'Avanport ?
PinnellPinel/Pineau

Den(n)isDenis
PlunkettPlancquet???Planchet ???

Devere(a)uxD'Evreux
PomeroyPommeroi ?

Dorricott

Porter¤Portier

DowsettDoucet
Potter¤Potier/Le Pottier

Drap(i)erDrappier
Power 2Pauvre

Drummond ?

PrideauxPridel/Prideau ?

DuckettDuchet ?
PurcellPourcel/Pourceau

Dur(r)antDurand
PursellPourcel/Pourceau

Elliot(t)Elliot
RamageRamage ?

EverettEvrard
RaynerReynier

EverittEvrard
Rickett(s)Riquet/Richet

FawcettFaucet ????
RiddellRidel/Rideau ?

FewtrellFoutrel
RivettRivet

Fitzgerald Ir.

Rob(b)insRobin

Fitzgibbon Ir.

RocheRoche

Fitzhugh Ir.

Rouse ?Roux/Leroux ???

Fitzmaurice

RoyallRoyal

Fitzpatrick Ir.

RoyleRoyal ?

Fitzroy

RussellRoussel/Rousseau

Fitzsimmons

Savage¤Sauvage

Fitzwalter

SavidgeSauvage

Fitzwilliam

Saville?

FletcherFlécher
ScrivenEcrivain ?

ForresterForestier
Scrivener


FottrellFoutrel
Seymour ???


FoulkesFoulque
SilvesterSylvestre

FowkesFoulque
SinclairSaint-Clair ?

FraserFraisier
SomervilleSommerville ???

Fraz(i)erFraisier
TavernorTavernier/Tabernier

FrizellFraisier
Tibbett(s)


FurnellFourneau
Tibbot(t)


Furness

TrickettTricquet/Trichet ?

Furniss

Varley?

FurnivalFournival
Varney?

Gallier(s)

Venables?

GarrattJarret
VernonVernon

GarrettJarret
Wil(l)mottGuillemot(Guillaume/Wuillaume)

GascoigneGascogne/Gâcoin
Willett(s)Guillet(Guillaume/Wuillaume)

GascoyneGascogne/Gâcoin
GibbinsGilbert ?

Gibbon(s)Gilbert ?

PhilpottPhilippot


Mortimer
Mortemer




Some names have several etymologies: possibly Delany/Delaney also < < Ô Dubhshlaine - Gemmell, Gemmill, Gammill (Scandinavian 'gamal' = "old", or old-French 'gemell' > > 'jumeau' = "twin" - Bowyer, proposed as "archer", but possibly too < < French Bouvier, Boyer = "herdsman", "cowherd" (from: 'boeuf' : "ox");
 
In current Cornwall, I found a boy surnamed Corduroy !
 
Vey often, the surnames of Normandy were themselves of Germanic origin (Viking, Frank ...) -
a surname again: Howard, which would be the cognate of Houard (Normandy);
Josse (> Joyce) is a French adaptation of the Breton name Iudoc - 'iud' like in Iudic-Hael ("lord"+suffix -"generous") which gave the Breton current surnames Jézéquel/Jiquel/Yéquel/Yviquel/Iquel/Inquel/Gicquel/Yziquel/Jiquello/Jézéquélou... > Gicquiaux/Gicquéau in Eastern French speaking Brittany - some of the first Jézéquel's became Jekyll in Britain.
I recall that a third of William the Bastard troops were of eastern Breton origin, some with Celtic Breton, others with already Germanic surnames like Normands.
 
Pigott, Pickett, are said to have derived from Picot. Robert fitz Picot de Saye a Norman, is said to have brought it into England along with Walter fitz Alan a Breton who became founder of the Steward/Stuart of Scotland. Many Bretons from Brittany joined the Norman invasion of 1066 to get back into lands their ancestors fled following the Roman exit and Anglo Saxon incursions.
 
A few names you can add:

Acourt / A'court
Harcourt
Glanville
Mandeville
Painter
Lucy
Humphreys
Britton (which I think comes either from Bretons or from Norman/French settlers who had it bestowed on them due to their becoming 'British')

And what about the surnames Francis, France and French? Or Norman​ itself?
 
Pigott, Pickett, are said to have derived from Picot. Robert fitz Picot de Saye a Norman, is said to have brought it into England along with Walter fitz Alan a Breton who became founder of the Steward/Stuart of Scotland. Many Bretons from Brittany joined the Norman invasion of 1066 to get back into lands their ancestors fled following the Roman exit and Anglo Saxon incursions.

Spite apparently of French or Romance origine, the surnames Picot and even more Picaud are common in Brittany. Surely a Northwestern French surname linguistically speaking, and so, not amazing among "Norman" troops of Billy the Bastard.
 
A few names you can add:

Acourt / A'court
Harcourt
Glanville
Mandeville
Painter
Lucy
Humphreys
Britton (which I think comes either from Bretons or from Norman/French settlers who had it bestowed on them due to their becoming 'British')

And what about the surnames Francis, France and French? Or Norman​ itself?


Glanville could be for Grandville in Normandy (Manche departm.) and Harcourt is a town in Normandy too (Eure departm.): no surprise! Humphreys is a Norman first and second name of Germanic origin (Unfridh, > Onfroy in Normandy) - Brett is a surname in Britain, akin to Bret ancient name given in France to Bretons - for Britton, I'm steel confused.
Painter/Payntor is an occupational surname and as that it cannot with certainty be considered as the surname of a "Norman" member, the same for Traynor, Archer, Taylor, Clarke, Channon, Bannister...
 
Oops! not Grandville but Granville - these adjectives placed before the noun are the remnants of a Germanic influence on Oïl French: see Malcoste (N) opposed to Costemale (S)
 
Glanville could be for Grandville in Normandy (Manche departm.) and Harcourt is a town in Normandy too (Eure departm.): no surprise! Humphreys is a Norman first and second name of Germanic origin (Unfridh, > Onfroy in Normandy) - Brett is a surname in Britain, akin to Bret ancient name given in France to Bretons - for Britton, I'm steel confused.
Painter/Payntor is an occupational surname and as that it cannot with certainty be considered as the surname of a "Norman" member, the same for Traynor, Archer, Taylor, Clarke, Channon, Bannister...

Pomfrey
is another form of Humphrey. The name Cousins can also be Cozens, which was my great-grandmother's maiden name.

There was a notable de la Pole family, and a family of Pomfretts*, to whom I am also related, whose name looks like a more 'French' form of the town whence it originates - Pontefract, itself from an 11th century Latin coinage (Pontefracto).


* not to be confused with pommes frites
 
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Pomfrey
is another form of Humphrey. The name Cousins can also be Cozens, which was my great-grandmother's maiden name.

There was a notable de la Pole family, and a family of Pomfretts*, to whom I am also related, whose name looks like a more 'French' form of the town whence it originates - Pontefract, itself from an 11th century Latin coinage (Pontefracto).


* not to be confused with pommes frites

Pomfrey seems akin to Pomphrey, a Welsh names withj the well known 'mab' (son) > fab- [vab] > ab- > b- before christian names become family names in Wales (but p- before some consonnants or H-) : Humphrey(s) > Pomphrey as in:
Owen > Bowen -- Evan(s) > Bevan/Beavan -- Rees/Rhys > Preece/Price/Pryce -- Hugh(es) > Pugh(e) -- Robin(s) > Probyn -- "Rothero" 'Rhydderch) (Breton Rouarc'h) > Prothero(e), Protherough -- Harry/Harri(e)s > Parry -- Hullin > Pullin -- Ellis > Bellis -- "Ivor" > Beavor -- Einion > Bennion/Beynon -- Robert(s) > Probert -- Richard(s) > Pritchard / Pritchett -- Henry > Penry -
in Brittany it kept the ab- forms like in surnames: Abily, Abiven, Abgrall, Abguéguen, Appervé/Abhervé, Abtanguy, Abguillerm, Abal(l)an, Abal(l)ain, Appriou, Abarnou, Abjean [abyann] ...
 
the list above show that Welsh people in the 18th century has very often adopted British or Normanno-British first names, used later as second names with Ab- or Ap- or with final -s (English model)
 
A favorite I found recently when researching surname meanings on my wife's family tree is BELCHER, made up of BEL (handsome) + CHERE ("face" in the original French, also came to mean "cheer" in English). Nothing to do with burping!
 
Curtis & Travis are common first names in the USA. I'm not sure if I'm reading the table right. Are they originated from French surnames?
 
Curtis & Travis are common first names in the USA. I'm not sure if I'm reading the table right. Are they originated from French surnames?

Yes. In the US family names (of the mother or of another ancestor?) are often put in place of the diverse christian names.
 
some come back to topic:
FURNIVAL : would be for Fourneville (Calvados, Normandy)
FURNISS I considered as French ("fourni"), but somones think it's from Furness in Cumberland
FURNELL : someones avanced OE 'fearn hyll' or 'fearn heal(h)': seems far fetched, I see rather French 'fournel' > 'fourneau'
FURBER : seemingly for 'furbisher' of French origin
FRESLE(S) : proposed: Normand family De Fresel, De Friselle, De Freseliere ('fraise' strawberry) or one form Frizell = Fraser (same thema)
FRAYNE : proposed: NF Frayne in Burgundy, linked to French 'fresne' < Latin 'fraxinus': ashtree
GALLIER(S) : Normands, OFr 'galier' , modern 'gaillard'
GASCOIGNE / GASCOYNE : of Aquitaine origin, French Gascon (+ Gâcoin) < Wasconia > Basque
GAUNT
GAUNTLETT : 1 become common English 'gauntlett' - or personal Normand name < French 'gantelet'

GILES : french name Gilles supposed from Latin Aegidius (?)
GILLATT / GILLETT / GILLOTT / GILLARD : diminutives of Gilles
 
GAUNT : based on Normand noble men like Gilbert De Gand (Gent in Belgish Flanders) seems from there, come with Normands

GILLATT and Co : these French diminutives came with Normands
GAY : Normand Oswald Le Gay, French 'gai' = 'happy', 'merry'
GEMMELL / GEMMILL / GAMMILL dense in Scotland - 1- from scandinavian 'gamal'/'gamel' = 'old'
2- OFr 'gemel' , modern Fr 'jumeau' = 'twin' < Latin 'gemellus' - more evident for me
GIBBONS / GIBBENS / GIBBINS : common in Ireland, diminutive of Germanic Gisil-Berht through French form Gilbert: Normand
GOSLIN / GOSLING : 1- Normand name Gosselin (Josselin in East Brittany) from Germanic *Gauth- (Goth) > OFr Gauzelin
see Henry Goseling 1260 - 2- English 'gosling' = 'young goose'
GOURLAY : 1 -place name Gorley in England 2- place name Gourlay in Normandy + 3- Celtic Breton surname 'gourlay' in Brittany
GRACE
 

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