DUBOIS
Recorded variant spellings include Du Bois, Du-Bois
Dubois is a surname of French origin, the literal translation of which is of the woods or from the woods. The name derives from the Old French phrase du bois, which combines du meaning “from” with bois meaning “wood”. As a topographical designation it originally identified an individual who lived near a forest or a wooded area.
The surname is first recorded in the mid‑sixteenth century. The earliest documented instance is that of Louis Dubois, whose christening was witnessed at Amboise in the county of Indre‑et‑Loire in March 1540 during the reign of King Francis I of France.
Background on heraldry shows that the Dubois family of Lorraine was granted a Coat of Arms comprising a gold shield, a black chevron, two green acorns in chief, and a black deer couchant in base. This emblem reflects the family’s woodland association and has been recorded in several heraldic collections.
The surname entered England in the early seventeenth century, carried by French Huguenot refugees who fled religious persecution. The first English record appears in the registers of the French Huguenot Church, Threadneedle Street, London, where the christening of Abraham Dubois was listed on 7 October 1604.
Over time, Dubois has acquired multiple spelling variants, including DuBois, Duboise, and DuBoise. These variations arose from transcription differences, regional accents, and the process of anglicising the name in non‑French contexts. Nonetheless, all retain the same fundamental meaning of residence near a forest.
Today the surname remains common in French‑speaking regions. It is frequently found in France, Belgium, and Canada – particularly in Quebec – as well as in the United States and other countries with significant francophone communities. The name can appear in English translations such as Woods or Forrest, or in similarly meaning German and Dutch forms such as Vom Wald and Van Der Bos, respectively.
Notable individuals bearing the surname include the American sociologist and civil‑rights activist W. E. B. DuBois and the American author Alison Dubois, who is also known for claims of being a medium. These figures illustrate the surname’s continued prominence in contemporary society.
Typical given names associated with the Dubois surname
Male
- David
- Edward
- James
- Jean
- John
- Paul
- Peter
- Philip
- Pierre
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Anne
- Catherine
- Charlotte
- Elizabeth
- Isabelle
- Jean
- Marie
- Mary
- Natalie
- Pamela
- Stephanie
- Susan
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 Dubois in...
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There are approximately 789 people named Dubois in the UK. That makes it roughly the 8,873rd most common surname in Britain. Around 12 in a million people in Britain are named Dubois.
Region of origin: Europe
Country of origin: France
Language of origin: French
Famous people named Dubois
- Daniel Dubois - Boxer
- Ed Dubois - Yacht designer (1952 to 2016)
- Jennifer duBois - American writer
- Joe Dubois - Football player (1927 to 1)
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.