Cajun Last Names

These Cajun last names belong to families of south Louisiana, most descended from Acadians exiled from Nova Scotia in the 1700s. The list runs A to Z with meanings and includes the Spanish, German and Creole names that blended into Cajun country.

250 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Acosta

Isleño Louisiana name meaning from the coast

Spanish
Alfonso

Isleño Louisiana name from Visigothic, noble and ready

Spanish
Angelle

Louisiana French name meaning angel

French
Arabie

Louisiana French name, possibly referring to Arabia

French
Arceneaux

Louisiana form of Acadian Arsenault, possibly from Arsène

French
Ardoin

Louisiana Creole name from Germanic Hardouin, hardy friend

French
Aucoin

Acadian name meaning at the corner

French
Autin

Louisiana French name of uncertain origin, Lafourche family

French

B

Babin

Acadian name possibly from babine, lip, a nickname

French
Babineaux

Louisiana form of Acadian Babineau, possibly from babine, lip

French
Balthazar

Louisiana Creole name from one of the Magi

French
Batiste

Louisiana Creole name from Baptiste, the baptizer

French
Baudoin

Louisiana French name from Germanic Baldwin, bold friend

French
Bazile

Louisiana Creole name from Basil, kingly

French
Bellard

Louisiana Creole name possibly from bel, handsome

French
Benoit

Acadian name from Latin Benedictus, blessed

French
Bergeron

Acadian Louisiana name meaning little shepherd

French
Bernard

Louisiana French name meaning brave as a bear

French
Bertrand

Acadian Louisiana name from Germanic, bright raven

French
Bienvenu

Louisiana French name meaning welcome

French
Billiot

Houma and Cajun Louisiana family name of French origin

French
Blanchard

Acadian name meaning whitish or fair-haired

French
Bonvillain

Louisiana French name meaning good villager

French
Bordelon

Avoyelles Parish name, possibly from the Bordeaux region

French
Borel

Louisiana French name possibly from burel, coarse cloth

French
Boudreaux

Acadian form of Boudreau, from Germanic Baldric, bold ruler

French
Bourg

Acadian name meaning market town

French
Bourgeois

Acadian name meaning town dweller or freeman

French
Bourque

Acadian name possibly from bourg, market town

French
Boutté

Louisiana French name possibly from bout, end

French
Brasseaux

Louisiana French name possibly linked to brasseur, brewer

French
Breaux

Louisiana form of Acadian Breau, possibly a variant of Brault

French
Broussard

Acadian name possibly from brousse, brushwood or scrubland

French

C

Callais

Louisiana French name possibly meaning from Calais

French
Campo

Isleño St. Bernard Parish name meaning field

Spanish
Carmouche

Louisiana Creole name of French origin

French
Castille

Louisiana name meaning from Castile

French
Cenac

Louisiana French name from a place in southwest France

French
Champagne

Acadian Louisiana name for someone from Champagne

French
Charbonnet

New Orleans Creole name, little charcoal burner

French
Chauvin

Louisiana French name meaning little bald one

French
Chenier

Louisiana Creole name meaning oak grove

French
Chéramie

Louisiana French name, possibly from cher ami, dear friend

French
Chiasson

Acadian name of uncertain origin, found across Louisiana

French
Chretien

Louisiana Creole name meaning Christian

French
Clément

Louisiana French name meaning merciful

French
Comeaux

Louisiana form of Acadian Comeau, possibly from Côme

French
Cormier

Acadian name for one living by a service tree

French
Courville

Louisiana French name from a French place name

French
Couvillon

Avoyelles Parish French name of uncertain origin

French
Credeur

Louisiana French name of uncertain origin, Acadiana family

French
Curole

Lafourche Parish French name of uncertain origin

French
Cyr

Acadian name from Saint Cyr, lord

French

D

Daigle

Acadian name from d'Aigle, of the eagle

French
Darbonne

Louisiana French name meaning from Arbonne

French
Dardar

Houma Louisiana family name of French origin

French
Dartez

Louisiana name possibly of Gascon or Basque origin

Cajun
Dauzat

Avoyelles Parish name of southern French origin

French
Deblieux

Natchitoches Creole name of French origin

French
Dejoie

New Orleans Creole name meaning of joy

French
Delafosse

Louisiana Creole name meaning of the ditch

French
Delahoussaye

Louisiana Creole name meaning of the holly grove

French
Delaune

Louisiana French name meaning of the alder

French
Delcambre

Louisiana name of Walloon origin, of the chamber

French
Delhomme

Louisiana French name meaning of the man

French
Desdunes

New Orleans Creole name meaning from the dunes

French
Deshotels

Louisiana French name meaning from the hostels

French
Deville

Louisiana French name meaning of the town

French
Doiron

Acadian name possibly from a place in France

French
Domingue

Louisiana French name from Dominique, of the Lord

French
Dominguez

Spanish Louisiana name, son of Domingo

Spanish
Doré

Louisiana French name meaning golden, blond

French
Doucet

Acadian name meaning sweet or gentle one

French
Dronet

Acadian Louisiana name of uncertain origin, Vermilion Parish

French
Ducote

Avoyelles Parish name possibly meaning from the hillside

French
Duet

Louisiana French name of uncertain origin, Lafourche family

French
Dufresne

Louisiana French name meaning from the ash tree

French
Dugas

Acadian name of southern French origin, meaning uncertain

French
Duhon

Louisiana French name of uncertain origin, possibly a place

French
Duplantis

Louisiana French name meaning of the plantation

French
Duplechain

Louisiana French name of uncertain origin

French
Dupré

Acadian Louisiana name meaning from the meadow

French
Dupuis

Acadian name meaning from the well

French
Durand

Louisiana French name meaning enduring

French

E

Esteves

Isleño Louisiana name, son of Esteban

Spanish
Estopinal

Isleño St. Bernard Parish name of Spanish origin

Spanish
Eymard

Louisiana French name from Germanic Aimard

French

F

Falgout

Louisiana name of southern French origin, meaning uncertain

French
Faucheux

Louisiana French name meaning mower

French
Faulk

Louisiana name possibly from German Falk, falcon

German
Fernandez

Isleño Louisiana name, son of Fernando

Spanish
Folse

German Coast name, possibly from German Folz or Voltz

German
Fontenot

Louisiana French name, diminutive of fontaine, little spring

French
Frilot

Louisiana Creole name of French origin

French
Frugé

Louisiana name of uncertain origin, prominent in Acadiana

French
Fuselier

Louisiana French name, spindle maker or musketeer

French

G

Gaspard

Louisiana French name from Gaspar, treasure bearer

French
Gaubert

Louisiana French name from Germanic Gautbert

French
Gaudet

Acadian name possibly from gaudir, to rejoice

French
Gauthier

Louisiana French name from Walter, army ruler

French
Gautreaux

Louisiana form of Acadian Gautreau, from Walter, army ruler

French
Girouard

Acadian name from Germanic Girward, spear guardian

French
Gisclair

Lafourche Parish name of uncertain French origin

French
Glapion

New Orleans Creole name of French origin

French
Gonzales

Isleño and Spanish Louisiana name, son of Gonzalo

Spanish
Granger

Acadian name for a farm steward or granary keeper

French
Gravois

Louisiana French name meaning gravel or rubble

French
Gremillion

Avoyelles Parish name of uncertain French origin

French
Guidroz

Louisiana variant of Acadian Guidry

French
Guidry

Acadian name from Guédry, possibly Germanic Widric, wood ruler

French
Guilbeau

Acadian Louisiana name possibly from Germanic Willibald, bold will

French
Guillory

Louisiana French name, possibly from a pet form of Guillaume

French
Guillot

Louisiana French name meaning little William

French

H

Haydel

German Coast name from German Heidel

German
Hébert

Acadian name from Germanic Heribert, bright army

French
Hernandez

Spanish Louisiana name, son of Hernando

Spanish
Hidalgo

Spanish Louisiana name meaning son of somebody, noble

Spanish
Hollier

Louisiana French name possibly from huilier, oil maker

French
Huval

Louisiana French name of uncertain origin, Breaux Bridge family

French
Hymel

German Coast name from German Himmel, heaven

German

I

Istre

Louisiana name possibly from Istres in Provence

French

J

Jeansonne

Louisiana French name possibly derived from Jean, John

French
Jolivette

Louisiana French name from joli, pretty or jolly

French
Judice

Louisiana name possibly meaning judge, of uncertain origin

Cajun

K

Keller

German Coast Louisiana name meaning cellar master

German

L

Labat

Louisiana Creole name from Gascon, the abbot

French
Labiche

Louisiana French name meaning the doe

French
Lacombe

Louisiana French name meaning the small valley

French
LaCour

Louisiana Creole name meaning the court or farmyard

French
Lafargue

Louisiana French name meaning the forge

French
Lafleur

Louisiana French name meaning the flower

French
Lagrange

Louisiana French name meaning the barn or farm

French
Lalande

Louisiana French name meaning the heath

French
Lambert

Louisiana French name from Germanic, bright land

French
Lanclos

Louisiana French name meaning the enclosure

French
Landreneau

Louisiana French name, possibly a diminutive of Landry

French
Landry

Acadian name from Germanic Landric, powerful in the land

French
Langlinais

Louisiana French name possibly from l'Anglais, the Englishman

French
Lapointe

Louisiana French name meaning the point of land

French
Lasseigne

Louisiana French name of uncertain origin, possibly a place name

French
Lastrapes

Louisiana Creole name of French origin

French
Latiolais

Louisiana French name of uncertain origin, St. Martin Parish

French
Latour

Louisiana Creole name meaning the tower

French
Lavergne

Louisiana French name meaning from the alder grove

French
LeBlanc

Acadian name meaning the white one, fair-haired

French
LeBoeuf

Louisiana French name meaning the ox

French
Ledet

Louisiana French name of uncertain origin, Lafourche family

French
Ledoux

Louisiana Creole name meaning the gentle one

French
Léger

Acadian name from Germanic Leodegar, people's spear

French
LeJeune

Acadian name meaning the younger one

French
Leleux

Louisiana French name from Picard, the wolf

French
Lemaire

Louisiana French name meaning the mayor

French
Lemelle

Louisiana Creole name of French origin

French
Lemoine

Louisiana French name meaning the monk

French
Lirette

Louisiana French name of uncertain origin, Terrebonne family

French
Louviere

Louisiana French name meaning wolf den

French

M

Manuel

Louisiana name from Emmanuel, God is with us

French
Marceaux

Louisiana French name meaning little Marc

French
Martin

Acadian name from Latin Martinus, of Mars

French
Matherne

German Coast name from German Mattern

German
Mayeux

Avoyelles Parish French name, possibly from Mayeul

French
Meaux

Louisiana French name from the town of Meaux

French
Melançon

Acadian name of uncertain origin, possibly a French place

French
Ménard

Louisiana French name from Germanic, strong and hardy

French
Metoyer

Cane River Creole name of a founding family

French
Mire

Acadian name possibly from Old French mire, physician

French
Molero

Isleño Louisiana name meaning miller or grinder

Spanish
Montet

Louisiana French name meaning little mountain

French
Morales

Isleño Louisiana name meaning mulberry trees

Spanish
Moreau

Louisiana French name meaning dark-complexioned

French
Morial

New Orleans Creole name of French origin

French
Mouton

Acadian Louisiana name meaning sheep, likely a shepherd

French

N

Naquin

Louisiana French name of uncertain, possibly Breton, origin

French
Normand

Louisiana French name meaning from Normandy

French
Nunez

Isleño Louisiana name, son of Nuño

Spanish

O

Olivier

Louisiana French name meaning olive tree

French
Orgeron

Lafourche Parish name, possibly from orge, barley

French
Ortego

Louisiana form of Spanish Ortega, nettle patch

Spanish
Oubre

German Coast name, Frenchified German Huber, farmer

German

P

Parfait

Houma Louisiana family name meaning perfect

French
Patin

Louisiana French name possibly meaning clog or skate maker

French
Pellegrin

Terrebonne Parish name meaning pilgrim

French
Pellerin

Louisiana French name meaning pilgrim

French
Peltier

Louisiana French name meaning furrier or skinner

French
Perez

Spanish and Isleño Louisiana name, son of Pedro

Spanish
Perrin

Louisiana French name meaning little Pierre

French
Pertuit

Louisiana French name meaning narrow passage

French
Picard

Louisiana French name meaning from Picardy

French
Pitre

Acadian name, possibly a pet form of Pierre, rock

French
Plaisance

Louisiana French name meaning pleasure or pleasant place

French
Plessy

New Orleans Creole name, from French place Plessis

French
Poché

Louisiana French name possibly meaning pocket or pouch

French
Poirier

Acadian name for a pear tree grower

French
Prejean

Acadian Louisiana name, probably from Préjean, the saint's name Praejectus

French
Primeaux

Louisiana form of Primot, possibly meaning first-born

French
Prudhomme

Natchitoches Creole name meaning wise, honest man

French

Q

Quebedeaux

Louisiana French name of uncertain origin, Acadiana family

French

R

Rabalais

Louisiana French name possibly related to Rabelais

French
Rachal

Cane River Creole name, possibly from Rachel

French
Rebstock

German Louisiana name meaning grapevine

German
Richard

Acadian name from Germanic Richard, strong ruler

French
Rideau

Louisiana Creole name meaning curtain

French
Rivet

Acadian name possibly for a riverbank dweller

French
Robichaux

Louisiana form of Acadian Robichaud, diminutive of Robert

French
Robin

Acadian name, diminutive of Robert, bright fame

French
Rochon

Louisiana Creole name meaning little rock

French
Rodriguez

Isleño Louisiana name, son of Rodrigo

Spanish
Romero

Spanish Louisiana name meaning pilgrim to Rome

Spanish
Rousse

Louisiana French name meaning red-haired

French
Rousseve

New Orleans Creole name of French origin

French
Roy

Acadian Louisiana name meaning king

French
Rozas

Spanish Louisiana name meaning cleared land

Spanish
Ruiz

Isleño Louisiana name, son of Ruy

Spanish

S

Sagrera

Catalan-origin Louisiana name meaning church precinct

Spanish
Sanchez

Isleño Louisiana name, son of Sancho

Spanish
Savoie

Acadian name for someone from Savoy

French
Schexnayder

German Coast name, a Frenchified spelling of a German surname

German
Segura

Spanish Louisiana name meaning secure place

Spanish
Senegal

Louisiana Creole name referring to Senegal, West Africa

Cajun
Sepulvado

Spanish Louisiana name from Sepúlveda, Castile

Spanish
Serpas

Isleño St. Bernard Parish family name of Spanish origin

Spanish
Sibille

Louisiana French name from Sibylle, prophetess

French
Simien

Louisiana Creole name possibly from Siméon, he who hears

French
Simoneaux

Louisiana form of Simoneau, little Simon

French
Soileau

Louisiana French name of uncertain origin, Evangeline Parish

French
Sonnier

Acadian name meaning bell ringer

French
Suarez

Isleño Louisiana name, son of Suero

Spanish

T

Talbot

Louisiana name possibly from Germanic Talabod

French
Tauzin

Louisiana French name from tauzin, a Gascon oak

French
Thériot

Acadian name, diminutive of Thierry, ruler of the people

French
Thibodeaux

Louisiana spelling of Thibodeau, from Theobald, bold people

French
Torres

Isleño Louisiana name meaning towers

Spanish
Touchet

Louisiana French name possibly from touche, small grove

French
Toups

German Coast name, possibly a Frenchified form of a German name like Dubs

German
Toussaint

Louisiana Creole name meaning All Saints

French
Trahan

Acadian name of uncertain origin, very common in Louisiana

French
Tregre

German Coast name from German Träger, carrier

German
Trosclair

Louisiana French name of uncertain origin, Lafourche family

French
Troxler

German Coast Louisiana name of Swiss German origin

German
Tureaud

New Orleans Creole name of French origin

French

V

Verdin

Houma and Cajun Louisiana name, possibly little green one

French
Verret

Louisiana French name possibly from verre, glass

French
Viator

Louisiana name possibly from Latin viator, traveler

Cajun
Vicknair

German Coast name from German Wichner

German
Vidrine

Louisiana French name of uncertain origin, Ville Platte family

French
Vincent

Acadian name from Latin Vincentius, conquering

French
Voorhies

Dutch-origin Louisiana name, from before Hees

Dutch

W

Waguespack

German Coast name from Wagensbach, a German place

German
Webre

German Coast name, Frenchified German Weber, weaver

German

Z

Zeringue

German Coast name from German Zehringer

German

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Eymard

Louisiana French name from Germanic Aimard

French
Judice

Louisiana name possibly meaning judge, of uncertain origin
Sanchez

Isleño Louisiana name, son of Sancho

Spanish
Prudhomme

Natchitoches Creole name meaning wise, honest man

French
Blanchard

Acadian name meaning whitish or fair-haired

French
Lanclos

Louisiana French name meaning the enclosure

French

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Cajun last names you hear across Acadiana

Acadiana, the French-speaking heartland of south Louisiana, is where these names cluster. Boudreaux, Thibodeaux, Hébert, Broussard, Landry, LeBlanc, Guidry and Fontenot are the classic examples, and a phone book from Lafayette, Abbeville or Breaux Bridge would show many of them on a single page. Some towns carry family names outright. Broussard, Thibodaux and Breaux Bridge all take their names from local families, so the map of the region is itself a kind of surname list.

Names often point to a particular corner of the region. Fontenot, Soileau, Fuselier and Deshotels cluster on the prairies around Ville Platte and Mamou, and Fontenot and Guillory descend from French colonial settlers who came by way of Mobile rather than from the Acadian exiles. Naquin, Toups, Pitre and Chauvin are common along the bayous of Lafourche and Terrebonne, where Billiot, Dardar and Verdin are also carried by Houma families. Hébert, Guidry and Broussard spread widely around Lafayette and Vermilion Parish.

Spanish, German and Creole names in Cajun country

Cajun culture absorbed its neighbors, and so did its surnames. Spain governed Louisiana from the 1760s until 1800. Canary Islanders, known as Isleños, settled below New Orleans and along Bayou Lafourche, while settlers from Málaga founded New Iberia. That is why Romero, Segura, Hernandez, Rodriguez and Nunez sit comfortably in the list, often pronounced the French way. Ortego is a Louisiana form of Ortega, and many of these families spoke French at home within a generation or two.

German families arrived even earlier, on the German Coast of the Mississippi above New Orleans in the 1720s, and over time their names took French spellings. Schexnayder comes from Schneider, a tailor, and Hymel, Waguespack, Zeringue and Folse also trace back to German-speaking settlers. Creole names such as Metoyer, Chenier, Delafosse and Batiste appear because Creole and Cajun families have lived side by side in the same parishes for generations, sharing much of the same music, food and faith.

Spelling variants and tracing a Cajun family

Spelling drifted as names passed through French, Spanish and English clerks. Thériot also appears as Theriot, Terriot and Terrio, Arceneaux as Arseneaux or Arsenault, and Comeaux as Comeau. The branch of a family that stayed in Canada often kept the older form, so a Louisiana Robichaux may well be related to a Robichaud in New Brunswick. The search box ignores accents and matches any part of a name, so typing robich brings up every Robichaux in the list.

Catholic parish records are the backbone of Cajun genealogy. Published abstracts such as the Southwest Louisiana Records and the Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Church Records cover generations of baptisms, marriages and burials, and Stephen A. White's genealogical dictionary of Acadian families traces lines back to Acadia before the deportation of 1755. A surname alone is only a starting point, since families of French, Spanish and German origin with no Acadian roots also carry several of these names.

Frequently asked questions

Which Cajun last names are the most recognizable?

Boudreaux and Thibodeaux are the names in countless Louisiana jokes, and Hébert, Broussard, Landry, LeBlanc, Guidry, Fontenot, Richard and Breaux are just as familiar. Most trace back to families who lived in Acadia, in present-day Nova Scotia, before the deportations that began in 1755.

Is Romero really a Cajun name?

It is Spanish in origin, but Romero families have lived in Cajun country since the late 1700s, when settlers from Málaga founded New Iberia. After generations of intermarriage and French as the home language, many Romero, Segura and Dominguez families simply consider themselves Cajun.

How are Louisiana and Canadian spellings related?

They often come from the same Acadian ancestor. Families who stayed in or returned to the Maritimes kept endings like -eau, -ault or -aud, while Louisiana clerks favored -eaux and -aux. So Boudreau, Thibodeau and Arsenault in New Brunswick match Boudreaux, Thibodeaux and Arceneaux in Louisiana.

Does a Cajun name prove Acadian ancestry?

No. Many Cajun families descend from French, Spanish, German, Irish and Native ancestors as well as Acadians, and some Acadian names were also used by unrelated French families. Parish sacramental records and published Acadian genealogies are the reliable way to confirm a family line.