DUVAL
Recorded variant spellings include Du Val
Duval is a French locational surname that literally translates to "of the valley". It originates from the Old French phrase du val, where du means of and val means valley. In the Middle Ages, surnames were often adopted to describe a person’s residence or the landscape around their home, and Duval was used to identify those who lived in or near a valley.
Historical records show that the earliest documented use of the name appears in the 17th century. One example is Claude Lavale, who was married in 1671 in the city of New Orleans, a settlement founded during the reign of King Louis the XVI of France, the celebrated Sun King who reigned from 1643 to 1715. In England, the surname entered the population through the influx of French and Flemish Huguenot refugees in the early 18th century. Notable baptisms from that period include Christolfe La Ville (recorded 1 March 1710 at the French Huguenot Church of St. Jean in Spitalfields) and Adam Lavall (26 June 1757 at Putney, in West London). These documents demonstrate the name’s spread from continental France to the British Isles.
Variants of the surname reflect phonetic changes and regional dialects. The name appears in forms such as Lavalle, Lavallie, Laval, Lavall, Deval, Duval, Lavell, Lavelle, and Lavielle. Some of these spellings, particularly Lavelle, are also found in Irish records, where they derive from the Gaelic O’Maolfhabhail and translate as the descendant of the messenger. This possible overlap highlights the importance of careful genealogical research to distinguish French and Irish origins when the spellings are identical or similar.
In heraldry, the Duval family is described by a distinctive blazon: a gold field with a red cross, upon which sit five silver escallops. This coat of arms has traditionally represented the family in French heraldic registers. The use of escallops, or scallop shells, was common among families whose members were pilgrims or who travelled frequently, often interpreted in the context of the name’s valley association.
Since the period of colonisation, the surname has migrated widely. Beyond France, it is now common in several English-speaking nations, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, significant concentrations appear in states that experienced early French settlement, such as Louisiana, and in areas that attracted large numbers of Huguenot immigrants. In the United Kingdom, the surname is predominantly found in England and, to a lesser extent, Ireland, where Irish citizens sometimes possess the same spelling but a distinct ancestry.
Within contemporary France, the surname Duval remains highly prevalent, particularly in the regions of Île‑de‑France and Normandy. The name is also common among French expatriates and their descendants in France’s former overseas territories, including Canada’s province of Quebec and various Caribbean island nations.
Notable individuals bearing the surname include French philosopher and political scientist Alexis de Duval, American actor Robert Duvall, and a range of historical figures from French nobility. These persons illustrate the surname’s continued prominence across diverse fields and countries.
Variants of the name, such as DuVal, Duvall, DeVal, and others, often arise from attempts to adapt the spelling to English orthographic conventions or from clerical record‑keeping differences. Despite these variations, the core meaning of of the valley remains an essential component of the name’s identity and its lasting place within the study of European surnames.
Typical given names associated with the Duval surname
Male
- Alain
- Alexander
- Andrew
- Anthony
- John
- Jonathan
- Mark
- Michael
- Nicholas
- Paul
- Peter
Female
- Alison
- Celia
- Christine
- Donna
- Emma
- Florence
- Jane
- Jean
- Linda
- Lynne
- Margaret
- Marie
- Mary
- Shirley
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Duval in...
Braille
⠙⠥⠧⠁⠇
Morse
-....-...-.-.-..
Semaphore
There are approximately 822 people named Duval in the UK. That makes it roughly the 8,594th most common surname in Britain. Around 13 in a million people in Britain are named Duval.
Region of origin: Europe
Country of origin: France
Language of origin: French
Famous people named Duval
- Lynne Duval -
- Spencer Duval - Athlete
- Charles Allen Duval - Welsh painter, photographer and writer (1810 to 1872)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.