French Family Association Home Page

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The Surname French Worldwide

Surname French from Wikipedia

1. Honorable Augustus Chaflin French, former Governor of Illinois. Chart #4.

2. Rear Admiral William D. French, Defense Superior Service Medal. Chart #23.

3. William French Smith, American lawyer and the 74th Attorney General of the U.S.

4. Heather French, former Miss America in 2000 from Augusta, Kentucky, Chart #36.

5. Marilyn French, American author known for her feminist novels and non-fiction.

6. Daniel Chester French, sculptor of the Concord Minute Man, Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial, the John Harvard Monument, and more. Chart #4. His father, Henry French, invented the French drain.

7. Robert T. French, inventor (along with his sons George and Francis), of R.T. French & Co., French's Mustard, Chart #183.

8. Victor French, actor in Lassie, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, and Little House on the Prairie, b. 4 Dec 1934 Santa Barbara, CA, d. 15 Jun 1989.

9. Melinda Ann French, wife of Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft, married 1 Jan 1994. She is an American businessperson, philanthropist, and co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. More.

10. Percy French, Ireland’s foremost songwriter and entertainer. Chart #IREB. More.

11. Bob French, jazz drummer and radio show host at WWOZ from New Orleans, Louisiana, honored by Branford Marsalis.

12. Conrad O’Brien-ffrench, artist, soldier, poet, adventurer, spy, raconteur, teacher, lecturer, philosopher, and humanitarian. He was also the man generally acknowledged to have inspired his friend, Ian Fleming, to create the fictional sensation, James Bond. Chart #IREH.

13. Frank French, Ragtime and Terra Verde pianist and composer. Chart #3.

14. James M. French, businessman and community activist, used his wealth and influence to serve the community and African-American youth. Believed to be the son of a former slave of Sandusky, OH.

15. David French, CNN Live, who reported on the War in the Gulf in 1991 with Wolf Blitzer and President George Bush as the weekend anchor for 12 years before his transition to the CIA.

16. Peter French, of Frenchglen, Oregon, had a cattle operation and built a round barn in the 1870s which is on the National Register of Historic Places as of 1971.

17. George French, leader of the George French Band in New Orleans, LA. He sings base jazz and rhythm & blues and cut hit records in the 1960s.

18. Lizzie Crozier French, ca. 1890, was an educator and a leader in the movement for women’s suffrage in Tennessee. She was born in 1851, was the President of the Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association. She was the daughter of an attorney and married into the French family. On 25 Aug 1919, Tennessee became the 36^th state and made the 19^th Amendment to the United States Constitution the law of the land giving women the right to vote. Chart #110.

19. Bob French, Chief Meterorologist and weeknight weather anchor at KBTX in Texas since 1990. Chart #8.

20. Lawrence Herbert French, played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago Cubs, b. 1907 in CA, d. 9 Feb 1987, played between 18 Apr 1929 and 26 Sep 1942.

21. Samuel French, American playwright, b. 1821, d. 1898 NYC.

22. Jesse French, piano manufacturer, b. 1845, d. 1927 in New Castle, IN.

23. David French, Canadian playwright from Bay Roberts, NFLD, Canada. Chart #57.

24. Benjamin Brown French, wrote dairies covering the Civil War period, and was a journalist for White House History, Chart #4. More.

25. Dr. Ronald French, 2007 King of the New Orleans Mardi Gras.

26. Daniel French, “Yankee” Steam Engine Patent, 1809, Chart #4. More. His son Henry French.

27. John Homer French, LL.D, born 7 Jul 1824 in Batavia, NY, died 23 Dec 1888, married Mary Elizabeth Washburn. John compiled a state map from the various county maps of the state of New York. Although the individual county maps were not all of uniform quality, they were far more consistent and comprehensive than the local surveys conducted for any other American state. His map was first published in 1859. He also was an author of various books including the “Gazetteer of the State of New York”. Memoriam. He was buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse, NY.

28. American Politicians with the Surname French.

29. Thomas French, Times Staff Writer since 1981, awarded the Pulitzer prize for three projects.

30. Major General Robert P. French, Assistant Adjutant General of the Army at the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, email: french@state.pa.us.

31. Charlotte French, married wealthy businessman Maximilian Carden Despard in 1870; he was the founder of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank. Charlotte was the suffragette and Sinn Féin member, Ireland’s oldest political movement. She wrote various books and helped the poor. Her brother was John Denton Pinkstone French. FFA Chart #IREF. More.

32. Captain Thomas H. French, served in M Co., 7^th US Cavalry with Col. George Custer at the Little Big Horn. He told Marcus Reno, “Major, the Indians are in our rear!” moments before Crazy Horse’s warriers charged.

33. Commander Sir George Arthur French, was pivotal in the formation of what became the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

34. Charles Calvin French, born 12 Oct 1883 in Indiana, started into baseball at the age of 25 with the Boston Red Sox.

35. James French, actor in Greater London.

36. Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, lists many famous people with the surname French.

37. Hollis French, Democratic member of the Alaska Senate and former assistant district attorney. He climbed Mt. McKinley to the summer twice.

38. John Alexander French, was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

39. Samuel Gibbs French, was born 22 Nov 1818, and an officer in the U.S. Army, wealthy plantation owner, author, and a major general iin the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.

40. Sarah French, Fox 61 News Team and anchor/reporter. She competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss America pageants, winning Miss Arkansas Teen USA in 2003.

41. Nora May French, born in 1881, was a talented, free-spirited poet caught between the suffocating strictures of the Victorian era and insecurities and confusions of the evolving modern age.

42. John B. French, born in 1857, died in 1931, FFA Chart #14, was a politician, activist, singer, and business owner. He was the first African American to be appointed to the Industrial Commission of Illinois. The appointment came from Governor Len Small in 1922.

43. Judge Richard French, b. 23 Jun 1792, d. 1 May 1854, FFA Chart #14, US Congressman. Elected to represent Kentucky's 9th and 11th Districts in the United States House of representatives, serving from 1835-1847, 1843-1845 and 1847-1849. Also served as a member of the Kentucky State Legislature.

44. Robert Bruce French, a native Kentuckian, received his Bachelor of Music degree in organ from the University of Louisville. He then attended the George Peabody College for Teachers of Vanderbilt University where he studied composition under the American composer, Roy Harris and received his Master of Music degree in 1951. In 1954 he co-founded the Louisville Academy of Music. French also co-founded the Louisville Youth Orchestra in 1958 and served as its manager until 1960. His highest honor came in 1999 when he was presented the Milner Award for "Highest Contribution to the Arts" by the Governor of Kentucky. He was b. 1924, the son of Robert D. French (b. 1892 in KY) and Thelma French (b. 1899). They now live in Louisville, Jefferson Co., KY. Robert D. French’s father was Robert A. French, b. 1864 in Big Spring, Meade Co., KY, m. Mattie L. b. 1866 in KY. His father was Austin French, b. 1817 and Martha French, b. 1828. Most likely FFA Chart #137.

45. Michael French, British actor who played wide boy David Wicks on the BBC drama “EastEnders” in the early 1990s. He was born on 17 Sep 1962 in East London, England.

46. James C. French, born ca. 1828 in Maine, invented an improvement in vault lights in 1871 at the age of about 43 in Chicago and New York, where the witness was R. R. French (his son Richard R. French, b. 1852). Thus started the J. C. & Sons Company.

47. Rosella French Porterfield of Elsmere, KY, granddaughter of a slave, was in the Hall of Fame in 2007.

48. Field Marshal John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, PC, born 28 Sep 1852, died 22 May 1925, was a British Field Marshal, the first commander of the British Expeditionary Force in WWI. Also see “The Tragedy of Sir John French” written by George H. Cassar, and “Guns of August” by Tuchman, awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1962.

49. John Lumsden French, born 10 Nov 1872 in TN, formed the St. Louis Motor Carriage Company in 1900 with George P. Dorriss. They produced 85 automobiles. Ironically, Mr. French died as a result of an automobile accident in Pittsburgh. He was on a business trip and took a trial spin in a new car and collided with another car. He suffered severe head injuries when he was thrown from his vehicle.

50. Charles K. French, (born Charles Ekrauss French; January 17, 1860 – August 2, 1952) was an American film actor, screenwriter and director who appeared in more than 240 movies between 1909 and 1945.

51. Major General Sir George Arthur French KCMG (19 June 1841 – 7 July 1921) was a British Army officer who served as the first Commissioner of the North-West Mounted Police, from October 1873 to July 1876, and as Commandant of the colonial military forces in Queensland (1883–91) and New South Wales (1896–1902). He was born at Roscommon, Ireland. He was educated at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and commissioned in the Royal Artillery in 1860.

52. Robert Shenton French AC (born 19 March 1947) is the twelfth and current Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.

53. Valerie French, 11 Mar 1928 – 3 Nov 1990, was a British film and stage actress. She was born Valerie Harrison in London. Her best-remembered roles were in Jubal in 1956 opposite Glenn Ford and in Decision at Sundown opposite Randolph Scott in 1957. Neither of her two husbands was named French, which might have been a stage name.

54. Gordon French, co-founder of the Homebrew Computer Club, collaborated with Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs and held their first meeting in Gordon’s garage in Menlo Park, CA, in March 1975, and afterwards started designing the Apple A. See also Homebrew Computer Club.

55. Rodney French, 1802-1886, was an abolitionist, a New England Sea Master, a prosperous ship owner and merchant, the Mayor of New Bedford, MA, and a commander of the Stone Fleet.

56. Darwin French, 1822-1902, As an army physician, Dr. French came to California in 1846 during the Mexican-American War. After the war he became a cattle rancher near Fort Tejon. In 1850, he provided Manly and Rogers with supplies to return and guide the rest of the Lost Fortyniners from their desperate situation in Death Valley. It was through this connection that he later learned of the Lost Gunsight mine. In 1860, he explored the area between the Owens and Panamint valleys in search of the silver-laden mine. He never found anything, but his named remained on the town (Darwin), and the falls (Darwin Falls).