# French (surname)

French is an anglicised version of Defreine, which has a Norman origin. Although the name is of French origin, it does not mean "French"; rather, it comes from the French word for ash tree.
French is or was the surname of the following individuals (alphabetized by first name):
* Adrienne French (born 1987), fine art photographer
* Alexander French (born 1980), Hong Kong cricketer
* Alice Masak French (1930–2013), Canadian Inuk writer
* Anne French (born 1956), New Zealand poet
* Annie French (1873–1965), Scottish artist
* Anthony French (1920–2017), English professor of physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
* Arthur W. French (1846-1916), American journalist and songwriter, and composer
* Bob French (jazz musician) (contemporary), American drummer
* Brett French (contemporary), Australian rugby league footballer
* Bruce French (actor) (born 1945), American actor
* Bruce French (cricketer) (born 1959), English cricketer
* Callie Leach French (1861-1935), American steamboat captain
* Catherine French, American civil engineer
* Charles K. French (1860–1952), American actor
* Charlie French (1883–1962), American baseball player
* Christine French (1968-to present), Mother of Cameron Casner, IT consultant and Sales, former wife of Jason Casner
* Christopher French (theologian), Irish theologian
* Christopher French (judge) (1925–2003), British barrister and judge
* Daniel French (inventor) (1770–1853), American inventor and steamboat pioneer
* Daniel Chester French (1850–1931), American sculptor
* David H. French (anthropologist) (1918–1994), American anthropologist and linguist; expert on Native Americans
* David French (playwright) (1939–2010), Canadian playwright best known for Leaving Home (1971) and other plays about the Mercer family
* Dawn French (born 1957), Welsh-English actress, writer, and comedy performer
* Domingo French (1774–1825), Argentine leader of the May Revolution and War of Independence
* Drew French (born 1984), American baseball coach
* Edward French (bishop), bishop of Elphin from 1787 to 1810
* Elizabeth French (contemporary), English archaeologist
* Emma Lee French (1836–1897), English immigrant to the Southwestern United States who became known as a caregiver
* Freddie French (1911–1989), New Zealand rugby union and professional rugby league footballer
* Frederick Fillmore French (1883–1936), American real estate entrepreneur
* Gary French (contemporary), Australian rugby league footballer
* George Arthur French (1841–1921), Canadian law enforcement officer
* George T. French Jr., American academic administrator and university president
* Harriet Schneider French (1824–1906), American physician and temperance movement activist
* Heather French (born 1974), American beauty pageant winner
* Henry F. French (1813–1885), American agriculturist, inventor, lawyer, and public servant
* Hollis French (born 1958), member of the Alaska Senate
* Ian French (born 1960), Australian rugby league footballer
* Jackie French (born 29 November 1953), Australian author
* James French (murderer) (1936–1966), American criminal; became sole prisoner executed in 1966
* James Bruce French (1921–2002), Canadian-American nuclear physicists
* James R. French (contemporary), American aerospace engineer
* Jay Jay French (born 1952), American guitarist
* JC French, American football player
* Jennifer French (disambiguation), multiple people
* Jim French (cowboy) (before 1865–after 1879), American frontier figure who became known as an outlaw
* Jim French (photographer) (1932–2017), American artist and photographer of homoerotica who has used the pseudonym Rip Colt
* Jim French (baseball) (born 1941), American catcher active during the 1960s and 1970s
* Jim French (radio) (contemporary), American voice actor and producer
* Joe French (footballer), English footballer with Southampton and New Brompton in the 1890s/1900s
* John French (physician) (1616–1657), English doctor and chemist
* John R. French (1819–1890), American publisher, editor, and political figure
* John French, 1st Earl of Ypres (1852–1925), English military leader, commander of the British Expeditionary Force in World War I
* John French, 2nd Earl of Ypres (1881–1958), English army officer and artist; son of 1st Earl
* John William French (1888–1970), Canadian political figure
* John Alexander French (1914–1942), Australian soldier; posthumous recipient of Victoria Cross for valor in World War II
* John French (racing driver) (1930–2025), Australian champion racer of the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s
* Joe French (born 1948), British air chief marshal, Royal Air Force commander
* John French (musician) (born 1949), American drummer
* John French (ice hockey) (born 1950), Canadian ice hockey player
* Joseph Lewis French (1858–1936), American novelist, editor, and poet
* Joseph Nathaniel French (1888–1975), architect
* Kate French (born 1984), American actress
* Katy French (1983–2007), Irish socialite and model
* Kenneth French (born 1954), American economist
* Kristen French (1976–1992), Canadian murder victim
* Lindsay J French (1979-present) American Cannabis Entrepreneur
* Lisa Ann French (1964–1973), American murder victim
* Lorna French, British playwright
* Lucy Virginia French (1825-1881; pen name, "L'Inconnue"), American author
* Marilyn French (1929–2009), American author
* Mary Billings French, American heiress
* Melinda Ann French (born 1964), American philanthropist ex-wife of Bill Gates; best known as Melinda Gates
* Michael French (born 1962), English actor best known for his television roles as David Wicks on EastEnders and Nick Jordan on Casualty and Holby City
* Micky French (born 1955), English footballer
* Nicki French (born 1964), English singer
* Patrick French (bishop), bishop of Elphin from 1731 to 1748
* Pete French, singer in the hard rock bands Leaf Hound, Atomic Rooster and Cactus
* Percy French (1854–1920), Irish songwriter, performer, and painter
* Peter French (1849–1897), cattle baron in Oregon
* Peter French (Dominican) (died 1693), Irish theologian
* Ray French (baseball) (1895–1978), American major league shortstop of the 1920s; later minor league manager and umpire
* Ray H. French (1919–2000), American artist and printmaker
* Ray French (contemporary), English rugby radio commentator and former player
* Robert French (born 1947), Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia
* Roger Kenneth French (1938–2002), English medical historian
* Rufus French (born 1978), American football player
* Samuel French (1821–1898), American entrepreneur and theatrical publisher
* Samuel Gibbs French (1818–1910), American Army officer who served as Confederate major general during Civil War
* Sarah French, American beauty contest winner who subsequently became a television news reporter
* Seán French (1890-1937), Irish Fianna Fáil political figure who served in Dáil and as Lord Mayor of Cork (1924–29 and 1932–37)
* Seán French (1931–2011), Irish Fianna Fáil political figure who served in Dáil and as Lord Mayor of Cork (1976–77)
* Sid French (1920–1979), British communist
* Susan French (1912–2003), American television, film, and stage actress
* Tana French (born 1973), Irish novelist and theatrical actress
* Valerie French (actress) (1928–1990), English-American performer who played leads in six 1956–57 films
* Valerie French (born 1962), American wrestling personality best known under the ring name, Sunshine (wrestling)
* Victor French (1934–1989), American actor best known for playing in support of Michael Landon on the television series Highway to Heaven
* Walter French (baseball) (1899–1984), American outfielder for Philadelphia Athletics who played in 1929 World Series
* Walter French (cricket umpire) (before 1905–1961), Australian cricket figure who umpired 1931 Test matches
* Warren French (born 1963), founder of the Victorian Geocaching Club
* Wesley French (born 1996), American football player
* William H. French (1815–1881), American Union Army general in Civil War