French is an anglicised version of Defreine which has a Norman Irish origin.
The DeFreines, the ffrenches, and the Frenches, who were of noble blood, came to Ireland with Strongbow during the Norman invasion of Ireland from 1169 to 1172 AD. There were and still are two or three families of Irish peers who carry the names DeFréine, ffrench, and French. As Anglo-Normans the French family became one of the 14 Tribes of Galway, helping to found the town in 1425 AD, fortifying it to keep the locals out.
French is or was the surname of the following individuals (alphabetized by first name):
Adrienne French (born 1987), fine art photographer
Anne French (born 1956), New Zealand poet
Alexander French (born 1980), Hong Kong cricketer
Alice Masak French (1930–2013), Canadian Inuit writer
Annie French (1873–1965), Scottish artist
Anthony French (born 1920), English professor of physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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
Charles K. French (1860–1952), American actor
Charlie French (1883–1962), American baseball player
Christopher French, Irish theologian
Sir Christopher French, a British judge
Daniel French (inventor) (1770–1853), American inventor and steamboat pioneer
Daniel Chester French (1850–1931), American sculptor
David H. French (1918–1994), American anthropologist and linguist; expert on Native Americans
David French (playwright) (born 1939), Canadian playwright best known for Leaving Home (1971) and other plays about the Mercer family
David French (charity administrator) (born 1947), English administrator of Westminster Foundation
Dawn French (born 1957), Welsh-English actress, writer and comedy performer
Domingo French (1774–1825), Argentine leader of May Revolution and War of Independence
Edward French (bishop), Bishop of Elphin from 1787 to 1810
Elizabeth French (contemporary), English archaeologist
Emma Lee French (1836–1897), English immigrant to 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 French (1841–1921), Canadian law-enforcement officer
Heather French (born 1974), American beauty pageant winner
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 R. French (contemporary), American aerospace engineer
Jay Jay French (born 1952), American guitarist
Jennifer French (disambiguation), multiple people
Jim French (cowboy) (before 1865–after 1879), American frontier figure who became known as an outlaw
Jim French (photographer) (born 1932), American artist and photographer of homoerotica who has used 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 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 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) (born 1930), 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
Marilyn French (born 1929), American author
Mary Billings French, American heiress
Melinda Ann French (born 1964), American philanthropist married to Bill Gates; best known as Melinda Gates
Michael French (born 1962), English actor best known for his TV roles of 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
Percy French (1854–1920), Irish songwriter, performer and painter
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 print maker
Ray French (contemporary), English rugby radio commentator and former player
Robert French (born 1947), Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia
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 TV 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)
Susan French (1912–2003), American television, film and stage actress
Tana French (1973-), Irish novelist and theatrical actress
Valerie French (actress) (1928–1990), English-American performer who played leads in six 1956–57 films
Valerie French (wrestling) (born 1962), American wrestling personality best known under ring name "Sunshine"
Victor French (1934–1989), American actor best known for playing in support of Michael Landon on TV 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
William H. French (1815–1881), American Union Army general in Civil War
