French Name Generator

In the XVI century, the king ordered all families to acquire surnames (le nom de famille –the name of the family).
The surname could be the name of the head of the family: Martin, Bernard, Thomas, Robert, Richard, Michel, Henri, etc.
Or some distinctive feature or characteristic: Legrand – large, Lepetit-small, Leroux-red.
Or place of residence: Dubois-from the forest or someone who lives near the forest, Dupont – someone who lives near the bridge or in the town of Le Pont
Or the main occupation of a person or tool: Fournier-a stove maker, Mercier-a salesman, Beaudelaires-a carpenter’s cleaver, Hachette-a carpenter’s adze or a mason’s pickaxe, Bonnet-a cap, cap, cap. Plant names were also used: Castan – from chataîgne-chestnut, Lavigne-vigne-grape.

The names of the nobles were derived from their possessions plus the prefix de: le comte d’Artois-Count d’Artois, le duc d’Orléans-Duke of Orleans.