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 :
- Adrienne French, fine art photographer
- Alexander French, Hong Kong cricketer
- Alice Masak French, Canadian Inuk writer
- Anne French, New Zealand poet
- Annie French, Scottish artist
- Anthony French, English professor of physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Arthur W. French, American journalist and songwriter, and composer
- Bob French (jazz musician), American drummer
- Brett French, Australian rugby league footballer
- Bruce French (actor), American actor
- Bruce French (cricketer), English cricketer
- Callie Leach French, American steamboat captain
- Catherine French, American civil engineer
- Charles K. French, American actor
- Charlie French, American baseball player
- Christine French, Mother of Cameron Casner, IT consultant and Sales, former wife of Jason Casner
- Christopher French (theologian), Irish theologian
- Christopher French (judge), British barrister and judge
- Daniel French (inventor), American inventor and steamboat pioneer
- Daniel Chester French, American sculptor
- David H. French (anthropologist), American anthropologist and linguist; expert on Native Americans
- David French (playwright), Canadian playwright best known for Leaving Home and other plays about the Mercer family
- Dawn French, Welsh-English actress, writer, and comedy performer
- Domingo French, Argentine leader of the May Revolution and War of Independence
- Drew French, American baseball coach
- Edward French (bishop), bishop of Elphin from 1787 to 1810
- Elaine French, American politician
- Elizabeth French, English archaeologist
- Emma Lee French, English immigrant to the Southwestern United States who became known as a caregiver
- Freddie French, New Zealand rugby union and professional rugby league footballer
- Frederick Fillmore French, American real estate entrepreneur
- Gary French, Australian rugby league footballer
- George Arthur French, Canadian law enforcement officer
- George T. French Jr., American academic administrator and university president
- Harriet Schneider French, American physician and temperance movement activist
- Heather French, American beauty pageant winner
- Henry F. French, American agriculturist, inventor, lawyer, and public servant
- Hollis French, member of the Alaska Senate
- Howard W. French, author, educator, journalist
- Ian French, Australian rugby league footballer
- Jackie French, Australian author
- James French (murderer), American criminal; became sole prisoner executed in 1966
- James Bruce French, Canadian-American nuclear physicists
- James R. French, American aerospace engineer
- Jay Jay French, American guitarist
- JC French, American football player
- Jennifer French (disambiguation), multiple people
- Jim French (cowboy), American frontier figure who became known as an outlaw
- Jim French (photographer), American artist and photographer of homoerotica who has used the pseudonym Rip Colt
- Jim French (baseball), American catcher active during the 1960s and 1970s
- Jim French (radio), American voice actor and producer
- Joe French (footballer), English footballer with Southampton and New Brompton in the 1890s/1900s
- John French (physician), English doctor and chemist
- John R. French, American publisher, editor, and political figure
- John French, 1st Earl of Ypres, English military leader, commander of the British Expeditionary Force in World War I
- John French, 2nd Earl of Ypres, English army officer and artist; son of 1st Earl
- John William French, Canadian political figure
- John Alexander French, Australian soldier; posthumous recipient of Victoria Cross for valor in World War II
- John French (racing driver), Australian champion racer of the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s
- Joe French, British air chief marshal, Royal Air Force commander
- John French (musician), American drummer
- John French (ice hockey), Canadian ice hockey player
- Joseph Lewis French, American novelist, editor, and poet
- Joseph Nathaniel French, architect
- Kate French, American actress
- Katy French, Irish socialite and model
- Kenneth French, American economist
- Kristen French, Canadian murder victim
- Lisa Ann French, American murder victim
- Lorna French, British playwright
- Lucy Virginia French, American author
- Marilyn French, American author
- Mary Billings French, American heiress
- Melinda Ann French, American philanthropist ex-wife of Bill Gates; best known as Melinda Gates
- Michael French, English actor best known for his television roles as David Wicks on EastEnders and Nick Jordan on Casualty and Holby City
- Micky French, English footballer
- Nicki French, 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, Irish songwriter, performer, and painter
- Peter French, cattle baron in Oregon
- Peter French (Dominican), Irish theologian
- Ray French (baseball), American major league shortstop of the 1920s; later minor league manager and umpire
- Ray H. French, American artist and printmaker
- Ray French, English rugby radio commentator and player
- Robert French, Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia
- Roger Kenneth French, English medical historian
- Rufus French, American football player
- Samuel French, American entrepreneur and theatrical publisher
- Samuel Gibbs French, 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
- Seán French (1931–2011), Irish Fianna Fáil political figure who served in Dáil and as Lord Mayor of Cork
- Sid French, British communist
- Susan French, American television, film, and stage actress
- Tana French, Irish novelist and theatrical actress
- Valerie French (actress), English-American performer who played leads in six 1956–57 films
- Valerie French, American wrestling personality best known under the ring name, Sunshine (wrestling)
- Victor French, American actor best known for playing in support of Michael Landon on the television series Highway to Heaven
- Walter French (baseball), American outfielder for Philadelphia Athletics who played in 1929 World Series
- Walter French (cricket umpire), Australian cricket figure who umpired 1931 Test matches
- Warren French, New Zealand darts player
- Wesley French, American football player
- William H. French, American Union Army general in Civil War