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 Inuit 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
• 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
• 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) (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
• 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
• 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